Osmond Fever April 17, 2009

I was just a baby when the Donny and Marie show was on in the 70’s but I do remember my sister Sadie had the Donny Barbie doll with the purple socks. I watched the new Donny and Marie show in the 90’s and Marie on Dancing with the Stars but I wouldn’t say I’ve followed their careers or that I am a die hard Osmond fan, still it intrigues me when I see one of them on Larry King or another talk show. Marie’s appearance on Good Things Utah in April was one such occasion where I stopped to watch. She happened to mention that she would be at the Fort Union Desert Book that evening for a book signing. I was suppose to take my girls to Sadie’s that night so I emailed her and suggested we meet there for the trade. Matt was flying in from being out of town so I called him and he said he would meet me there too. I was running late and wanted him to get in line for me with the book. When I arrived I learned that the line wound through the bookstore and that numbers had been given out and that Marie was only guaranteed to sign your book if you had a number. Sadie and the girls watched her sign books and pose for pictures before heading back to Sandy. Sadie would also deny being a die-hard fan but something must have been going on in her head to cause her to leave her car running out in the parking lot, LOCKED. Brent came and got the situation under control for her. I still shake my head and laugh at that because I can relate all to well. She’s definitely a sista.
Matt took our three youngest back home in the van. I was actually enjoying my time in line and just figured that I would stay for a while but I didn’t really care if I got her signature in my book or not; unlike the lady in line behind me from Holland who’s waited 40 years to meet Marie and credits her joining the church to the Osmond’s. The mother and daughter in front of me were there to get a book signed for their next-door neighbor. The neighbor is a huge Osmond fan apparently and it was going to be a surprise. That touched me that she would pay that much for a neighbor birthday gift and wait so patiently in a long line. There were several interesting people in line around me. I like meeting new people and hearing their stories. Besides, who can’t loose track of time in a bookstore? By the time I reached Marie it had been nearly three hours! People had gotten out of line and now everyone in front of me had a number. I was the first person in line that didn’t have one. Isn’t that how it always goes? Marie said that she could only personalize the books for the people that had numbers and after that she would only be able to sign her name. Rumor spread that at a book signing in Rhode Island earlier in the week she had stayed past one in the morning till she had tended to everyone. But this situation was different. Marie said that she had just received news that one of her brothers had a stroke. I was impressed with her cheerfulness and willingness to stay and stand in her HIGH heels and sign and pose for picture after picture. When it got to my turn her publicist kept moving Marie and I around to decide which position would get the people moving through the fastest. Back and forth we were moved and we smiled and laughed. She said something like, “You’re going to think I’m weird.” I said, “I think you’re great!” (That’s just what spilled out of my mouth.) She responded, “Oh, you’re so sweet.” Can’t you just picture her saying that with her big toothy grin? She really was beautiful. I had made that comment to Matt to which he replied, “She’s hot.” “Yes,” I went on, “for someone turning fifty…” “For any age, “ he summed up. Alrighty then!
I read her book Might as Well Laugh About it Now in the next couple of days and really enjoyed it. I like reading a book where you feel like you understand someone better. We’re all just really doing the best we can aren’t we? And it sure makes it a lot easier on everyone to have us building each other up instead of tearing each other down I surmised. Now we’re toying with the idea of seeing their Vegas show for our 15 year anniversary.