Little did I know that my recent blog regarding a litter problem on my favorite jogging road would place my family and I on the 10:00 news…hear more of this story right after these words….
Because my Boot Camp class was canceled due to the icy conditions my stepdaughter and I did the next best thing and worked out in our family room with our two big dogs under our feet. We had just completed our work out tape when the telephone rang. On the phone was an extremely nice man by the name of Steve Stoler with Channel 8 WFAA news. He asked for my permission to interview me regarding my blog and stated he was down the street taking video of the litter as we spoke. Well, I don’t know about you but the first (and probably only) time I will be on television I absolutely do not want it to be with sweat running down my face and my hair in a side ponytail! I convinced him to give me at least thirty minutes which he kindly agreed. I have never showered, dried my hair, applied makeup and got clothed so quickly in my entire life. I was on fast forward mode longer than the Jane Fonda exercise tape I had just finished.
Promptly, Mr. Stoler arrived to my home and with the camera rolling we began the interview. As soon as he asked me the first question I realized that he was going to be one disappointed reporter. Besides being exceptionally nervous I could not find my words nor could I even focus. You see, I had all these thoughts in my head that I did not have time to process yet because I speed raced through my usual “getting ready” routine. All that kept running through my mind was that I should have worn a darker shade of lipstick, a brighter color of shirt, clipped my bangs away from my face, maybe lip gloss would be better so I don’t look so made up, nice shoes or casual, and does the camera really add ten pounds. What’s that…did you say something about litter? After he asked me a few questions he then interviewed my stepdaughter (he was calling in for backup I assumed). He also took video of me, my dog and three of my kids strolling down the street. “It’s a wrap” I expected him to shout.
They played the footage and spoke of the story on the ten o’clock news that same night. My kids were celebrities at school the next day and I received numerous messages from friends and acquaintances asking for my autograph; I’m certain they were just joking.
I have to say thank you to Mr. Stoler for several things: First, for choosing the one somewhat intelligent sentence from me during our interview and including it in your story and editing everything else. You could have easily given the impression that I had just called in with a UFO sighting. Second, you told me that my story was well written and that I was a good writer. You will never know how much that meant to me. Also, I went from being “weird and dorky” to “kinda cool” all in one day. In a home full of teenagers that’s a colossal upgrade.
Last and most importantly, the Executive Director of Community Services for the Town of Flower Mound contacted me and let me know that he is sending a crew to Scenic Drive to collect the litter on the roadside and they will also be contacting the property owners where debris has blown or was thrown over the barbed wire fencing. That’s amazing. I got a whole street cleaned up. If I say so myself, that is kinda cool.
