Avery Brooks Sci Fi Expo 2013

Avery Brooks Sci Fi Expo 2013

The autograph that I scanned for this post is for a friend.  My friend asked that I pick it up for him. I already have an Avery Brooks so I didn’t get one for myself.

As the line finally passed a corner, I could see Avery.  He wore glasses and actually needed them to see the print on the sticky notes that were used for personalization. He wore something that looked like a shawl with an African print.

He talked with each person but there was something edgy about him; edgy in a good way. Or maybe it was just something I saw in how he talked and acted with the fans that I liked.

The line wasn’t fast but it wasn’t slow either. You had plenty of time to take photos before you got to the front.  Avery Brooks was aware of that. As a fan started to pull out his camera, Avery looked at him and said: you had 10 minutes right over there (pointing to the people in line at the side of the booth that had a great view) to get your camera ready. You going to make everyone else wait now?

Yes, the fan made us wait.

As another fan pulled out his cast signed photo, he pointed to where he wanted Avery to sign. Avery nodded; usually it’s fairly evident where to sign. The fan pointed again, and Avery just said, “I heard you the first time.”

These are things, you and I would say to one another as we deal with each other at home or at work. It’s not what you hear at a convention. I found it refreshing. I found it a likable quality.

My friend mentioned being a big Spencer for Hire fan. He watched it at home and watched in the dorm. So when I saw the black and white photo I knew what to get him. 

When I passed the photo along to Avery he paused. Pulled off the glasses and looked at me.  He told me I was too young to have seen this.  I told him I’m older than I looked.  He gruffly agreed. Like, I’ll concede so we don’t have to getting into a pissing contest and start showing each other the scars we accumulated over the years.

He looked at the photo again. He pointed at the photo and told me, “That was a young man there. Too bad I don’t know him.”  Sad?  Maybe just nostalgic.

As I was recounting this to a friend, I mentioned that Avery was a guy I’d like to watch a game with.  We could argue calls and maybe even raise our voices but it would just be in the spirit of the game.  Even if we left mad, next time we won’t even hesitate about seeing the game together.  

AH