The Crazy People You Meet at the Gift Shop...

It seems like every summer I am lucky enough to recognize famous people at work. Remember last June's post where I met Vocal Point from The Sing-Off? Still can't believe I recognized those guys.. And remember last summer when I met Steve Reed, the former Yankees player? The other day I added someone else to the list :) And he is by far my favorite! He came to the gift shop Friday night and we were talking for a good half an hour. He told us about living in California and what he liked about it. He told us about his house (I could tell by the description that he was pretty wealthy, but he wasn't cocky or bragging at all. He was quite humble actually..) and the entire time I was staring at him and trying to figure out who he really was. He looked similar to Gil Birmingham and Russell Means. I knew this guy was famous.. he had to be.. So when he came back the next day I asked, "Has anyone ever told you that you looked like someone famous?" He gave me a weird look and gave me the slow and curious, "...Yes...." I told him that the night before, after he left, I googled and searched for who this guy really was. Turns out he worked with Gil Birmingham! Talk about ironic...
So he, Dennis Ambriz, told me and some coworkers about how he got started out as an actor. He raised his family in the northern part of California and was happily married. Although, he always felt like he wanted to act. So after work, he would take acting lessons. Eventually he started getting parts at local plays.. until he got the part in his first movie! Now he's friends with Gil Birmingham! haha.
He kept turning the conversation to us though. He would ask us what he wanted to do (kind of hate that question by this point in my life..) and I replied with the usual, "I have no idea." He told me that he could tell I would go far in life. We both want to save and impact lives.. He said that no matter what I choose to do I should never give up. He was really inspiring! Dennis said that we all have a part in this world. We shouldn't think of ourselves better or worse than anyone else.. and no matter how old you are it's not too late to reach your dreams. We need to pray to God and make it happen. As he was leaving he walked back to my register and asked me how he could get ahold of me... I was speechless. He said that I really inspired him and made his day... talk about backwards... so I gave him the store card and my name aaaand we took a picture together, of course. I can't wait to see what he mails me eeeee!! (Gil and Dennis in the background in the picture below. How. Cool. Is. That. Dennis even asked if he could hug me. I. Am. Lucky.) When he left a coworker came up to me and said, "I feel like Dennis is the type of guy that could convince someone out of jumping off a cliff." I love my job.
And then just yesterday I was checking out this guy at the register and couldn't stop staring at his deformed body. He was really brave to be walking around in public. The skin on the tip of is nose was missing. You could literally see where the cartilage ended. His skin appeared to be burned too... As I was giving his change back a little boy came up to me and asked where the restroom was. "Just give me a second and I'll show you where it is, ok?" I said. And then he did what all kids do... He looked up and said, "What happened to your face?!" And I'm so glad he asked because the entire store was wondering... The little boy's mother made him apologize and then the guy told the little boy, "When I was in high school I disobeyed my mother and was in a bad fire." The little boy was definitely creeped out and will probably never disobey his mother again. but the rest of us were extremely inspired by all the things he said. He was a motivational speaker that travels the country and shares his story.
These past days I've also fallen in love with this song... it's been an inspiring couple of days.

 

-Abbey