Sgt Peppers Special report of a special weekend.

As lived by BJ Mathes & Bubba.

Upon leaving my home, Wednesday, November 5th, I had no idea what was ahead of us.There were lots of hopes and dreams that I had the desire to fill but, being a simple country girl, had only prayed to accomplish smoothly.

Bubba, Jeanette [my health care companion], and myself, traveled by bus from Houston, Texas to Owosso, Michigan. The trip was a little rocky but, the closer we got, the more I was looking forward to meeting the people that I had set out to interview for Craig, Webmaster of  WWW.HUM90.COM , a "Tour of Duty" website.
By the time we reached Owosso, I was ready for the job. Getting off the bus in downtown Owosso,on Friday, November 7th, was haunting... the depot was empty and all we had to go on, was the directions that I had gotten over the phone as to where the Comstock Inn was located.

The three of us go thru the double set of doors of the Comstock Inn and there is Tony Hornus with two of the actors from "AOK" at the front desk. We don't even make it up to the desk when...

"YOU MUST BE FROM TEXAS", comes booming from Tony.

"And you are Tony Hornus" I replied. We then go around with the introductions and a briefing as to what I was to expect, as I had never attended any thing like that before. Tony informed me that Terry had arrived earlier that day and was most definatly attending the premiere later. The time was 3:45 P.M., Michigan time, and we had less than two hours to get ready for the start of the nights events.

The first place that we all met at was the Lebowsky Center, a playhouse that Tony helps to keep running with stage productions for the tiny town of Owosso.

As we approached the tiny theater, there was a flood light announcing the premiere to the skies.
There are County Deputies all over the place and baracades at the intersections to insure the saftey of the people attending the premiere.

The "Red Carpet" had been rolled out clear to the curb, awaiting the arrival of all who were attending. Jeanette, Bubba and myself are greeted by all.
Tony is already in the auditorium giving interviews and chatting with friends. The tiny playhouse very quickly become a madhouse of people milling around with standing room only.
At the foot of the stage is a long table of finger foods and off to the side are drinks.
To the left of the stage is a table with special edition posters and limited programs of the night and those in the lime light of the film... "An Ordinary Killer "

Quickly a line formed around a long table with a red table cloth on it... This is where the stars of the production were sat to autograph the posters for anyone wishing the chance to speak for just a fast moment to them. Bubba, Jeanette and myself found ourselves burried among the premiere crowd as we waited in line to get to the table. The sound was loud in there as each person was trying to be heard by the ones that they were speaking with...

Suddenly..."OOOOOOOOOOooooo"... and the auditorium went to a deadly silence...

"They've got some nerve..." was heard from somewhere behind me... It was Jeanette, who noticed that Bubba had been stepped on by Chris Nendick. Bubba yelped for a second but he quickly started to wag his tail as Chris started to pet him and rub his back.
I told Chris that Bubba would give him 24/7 to stop rubbing his back......Bubba was a huge hit from that point on.
Terry had entered the playhouse at some point but never made it to the autograph table as, he was stopped in the lobby by fans for pictures and interviews so, at that time I didn't get to meet him.

At 7:15, all the stars were hustled from the playhouse to be taken to the Owosso for the 8 P.M. showing of "AOK".There were two who stayed a little longer, Dan "Griz" Haggerty and Terry [TJ] Jernigan. Seeing that Bubba and I were having a very hard time reaching the table, Chris Nendick gets in front of us and opens a path to the front and tells Dan and TJ to take good care of us. There I get some really good picures. Dan will still look up when you call out "Griz".

Since we had tickets to the 10:30 showing, the three of us returned to the Comstock Inn to wait.While we were chatting with a couple of ladies... a gentleman turns the corner and... "WHAT A GREAT DOG... WHAT A FANTASTIC DOG...!!!" and procedes to kneel down and begin to play with the Bubbaster.. Bubba was all wags and kisses then drops to the floor for the man to rub his chest...the gentleman was none other than...

"Terry Knox..." is the only words that I could get out at that time...

"Yes, and you're?" Terry inquires...

"BJ Mathes, Sgt.Pepper.We chatted last April when Roz held the chat for us fans."

"Oh yes, I remember... That was one wild chat... It was all new to me, I was quite use to it, the computer..."

"Well you did a great job keeping up with us... I hope that we will have another chat like that one..."

"Yes, yes, yes.. Definatly! I hear that you would like to do an interview and get some pictures?"

"Yes I would."

"Catch me in the morning. I am bushed right now..." and he crosses the floor of the hotel lobby and gets on the elevator to go to his suite. As he does that, we are told that it is time for us to make our way to the Owosso Cinemas for the 10:30 showing.

Upon our arrival at the lobby of the cinema, Bubba, Jeanette and myself are escorted to the front of the line to be among the first seated.
There is a special place for those in wheelchairs, and that is where we are seated.

Soon enough the attention goes over to the right front of the theater. It is actor Dean West.
He gives us a brief synopsis of what "AOK" is all about and how the movie came about.

Then we are shown a slide show of who all had something to do with the production of the film. As the lights go down... the movie begins...

You will have to read the review to get the jest of the movie... THEN GO SEE IT WHEN IT HITS THE THEATERS... THAT"S AN ORDER FROM YOUR SERGEANT!!!

The next morning,  I am woke by my daughter, Theresa {TJ}, and three of her children...
What a joy... What a surprise!!!
My daughter lives in Flint, Michigan, a community just 25 miles from Owosso.
The whole trip became the dream of my life as TJ lit up my day... night... life... Don't nobody tell her but, SHE IS THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS...Especially that day as I had gobs of interviews to do and more pictures to take.
I even forgot that Terry was a big, huge star BUT don't worry... I got the interview done and even a few pictures... Along with everything else...Shall I say that by the time I made it to the lobby... I was soaring through the air headed to the milkyway... [no mops permitted here]

The first one I spoke with that morning was, Dan "Griz" Haggerty, who made a hit with my daughter and impressed my grand-daughters immensely. 
"Grandma talks to movie stars and jokes with them... That is something...!!!" The girls were later heard to tell their brother, Brandon, and their Mom's bestfriend, Dawn.

Little did any of them know... was that I was tripping over my eye teeth just trying to see what it was that I was going to say next. Dan loves animals and is in negotiations for a new series concerning them. Needless to say, Dan and I didn't get to interview for very long as he was called off to do something but, we had a rather pleasant visit.

Chris was next...The interview was brief but wonderful. While we were taking pictures, Chris mentioned that he taught young girls,the ages of my grand-daughters, gymnasics. Upon finding that out, Theresa had Lindsey, the youngest, do what she had done while she was watching tv.........the splits.
Chris was delighted and asked her if she knew how to the a back-flip. She told him no and he asked her if she would like to learn how and that he would help her do one.
Chris not only helped her do one... but a couple of back-flips...Lindsey was delighted...

Around the corner came TJ and that interview went off well and full of a few surprises.

Next thing I hear... "Sgt.Pepper's in the lobby..." and who should show up...?

Terry comes over and first greets Bubba... gives him a treat... then sits between my grand-daughters. While we were interviewing... a H-2 Hummer pulls in front of the door at the Comstock Inn. The Hummer had been made into a stretch limo and my grand-daughters went ape over it.
Terry took them hand in hand out to the vehicle and let them see it close-up. Terry said that it was just a big box but, the girls eyes had lit up at the idea that someone such as Terry had taken the time to show them that... right in the middle of an interview...They told Theresa, who had to run an errand at that time,
"Terry was busy YET... He took the time to do something for us... WOW Mom... that was so great." Terry had made quite the impression on Lindsey and Katlynn... ages 9 and 10.
My grandson, Brandon, came around the corner and was introduced to Terry by the girls... Then Terry had to go.

The night was really interesting. There was another showing of "AOK" and Theresa, Bubba and myself attended the 8P.M. viewing.  The cast was there also. Terry came a little late but it was the best.
He came over and sat with down next to Bubba and started to feed him popcorn, that is until I handed him the bag of treats that I keep with me for him... Terry sat there feeding Bubba the treats and eating popcorn.
In one scene, there was the sound of dogs barking.  The sound was so real that Bubba sat up and watched the film for the next fifteen minutes.
Not having seen another dog on the screen... Bubba looked at me like to say... "Great sounds effects but where are the dogs???"... then he laid back down and started to pout... Terry had left...

When the movie was over, we went to the lobby and got a few pictures with the cast.I even managed to get Theresa into a few shots.

Theresa, Bubba and I returned to the lobby of the Comstock Inn where we sat there for a while talking old times when she was a little girl when DJ came in and granted me an interview... Then in walks Tony and I get to chat with him for a while... with the help of Theresa, I was able to get the interview done smoothly. I forgot my glasses in my room so she had to read off my notes to me.

Bubba, Theresa and myself stayed in the lobby for a little while going over the days events when DJ, Chris, Greg and friends walked in.  They had been to the "Walk-thru" at Taco Bell.
No Taco Bell doesn't have a walk thru but, they did anyway.
DJ and Chris started to chat with us again, when Chris decided that he was hungry again and asked the others if they were too. They even got me something...We all sat around the table in the lobby, getting to do more interview when suddenly DJ turned the tables on me...They stayed there with us until 3 A.M....

The next morning was the last time for me to see any of them... I was able to get a few more photos and farewells were said all around. I was on the bus headed for Houston, Texas at 3 P.M., Owosso, Michigan time.

I left with many happy, fond thoughts of all... especially for Terry Knox, who made the time I spent there even more special than anyone else could have ever.
Not because he is Terence Knox... rather because of what he did... He went out of his way, not just once, but several times to talk with me and to play with Bubba... Yes...Bubba is indeed a "FANTASTIC DOG"...but Terence Knox is a "SUPER, SPECIAL, WONDERFUL MAN"...

He still... "KNOXMEOUT!!!"

Cheers All

BJ Mathes