Meeting Doug Jones

Perhaps I should start from the beginning.

In the weeks leading up to MCCC I had been keeping track of who would be there and who wouldn't. Though the guest appearances are only part of why I go, they do figure into the equation and so I'm always curious as to who would be dropping by. This and and also because my mother, who always seems to enjoy going, continually asks me; "whos at the convention this time?!" It may be a big part of why she goes, but oh does she love to people watch, she has said as much many times. "We could just come here to see people in costume." And upon checking the guest list this time I was quite delighted to see quite a few names, but the one that made me quite happy to see was Doug's. Upon telling my little sister and mother they both seemed to share at the very least a small amount of my enthusiasm. More-so my sister than mother.

Leading up to the con my personnal financial situation was going south more and more. I have been long out of the job. And my bank account is continually shrinking, it has leveled off in the lower double digits. So my certaintly in attending the con had virtually shriveled up to ... well, nothing. However my mother and sister were becoming more confident by the day. The week before the con came and they began speaking about it more and more, not only including themselves but me as well. My sister even invited one of her friends along. I had my doubts though, up until the day before we went. Than it sank in a little, "I'm going and I'm meeting Doug Jones, oh %$#", (insert your own four lettered word there). I didn't sleep that night, I'm often an insomniac, this was nothing new. But my thoughts did wander onto Mr. Jones. Late night became early morning. And no sleep became, at best, three hours. I heard a knocking at my bedroom door "Justin, you coming to the convention?" I quickly got up, showered, dressed, re-dressed. I'm terrible at dressing when I'm excited.

I won't throw every little detail, and hilarious moment, of my time at the Motor City Comic Con at you. But do know that quite a time was had. No, why you have read this far is to hear of my very FIRST encounter with Mr. Doug Jones.

It was near the end of our time at the Motor City Comic Con. We were unsure of what we would do next. My sister and her friend had returned from their adventures run around the floor. My mother and I had been laughing, from awkward moments and a previously unknown moment from my mother's mysterious past. I wish I could discuss it in great detail but she has sworn me to silence. &^%$. Just trust that it is FANTASTIC. At least to me it is, to her, not so much. We had walked past the booth shared by Doug, John Alexander and Carrie Fisher. Though Ms. Fisher was secluded behind a black curtain. She IS Princess Leia and it WAS a Convention. So I by no means judge her for that. But in our wanderings my mother would often ask; "Didn't you want his autograph?" pointing at Doug. "Not yet" I would say, I wanted to look around some more of course, but primarily because I was still half asleep and I really didn't want Doug's first impression of me to be that largely associated with a Romero Zombie. We continued on with the day though and by the end it was time. After much debate amongst themselves my sister joined me in line while her friend and my mother went back to walking the the room, as we went about purchasing our autograph ticket and chossing a picture for Doug to sign. Pale Man, baby .

I noticed Kusanivy in line. We had over the course of the week said how fun it would be to meet up, and here we were. My sister and I entered line. Kusanivy looked at me, not completely sure, and I reached out my hand "Hi, I'm LobsterJustin", shaking hers. At first we talked about our time at the con, getting there, how she had already met Doug. I asked about the rather sizable boxes on the ground in front of her. She explained it was a gift for Doug, but she couldn't tell me what it was. And the line continued forward.

Eventually Kusanivy left the line and got back into it right behind my sister and I. It was here that we really began to geek out. We talked about everything from DTF to TORN to early 90's animation, to how much of a GOD Parker is, to her chosen vocation of Makeups, to what was in the box. Needless to say when she told me, I freaked. I just couldn't believe it, how GREAT. I tried as hard as I could to keep myself from begging to see it. I couldn't wait! It was here also that she asked me "Would you like a button?".

"A button? You have buttons?" I asked.

"Yep" she opened her backpack to reveal bags filled with, I beieve, Hellebration buttons. She explained how she had a sack of easily 80 or so, and showed me the selection she had with her. Nuada, Nuala, HB2 logos, and DTF. After some thought, I chose a DTF button. Just gorgeous.

"I feel like an official member of the site now" I smiled.

"You already are an official member."

"Yeh, but now I have a button!" My sister also got a button, Nuala, and while terrific doesn't beat my DTF button. Eventually the line became shorter and shorter in front of us. We continued to talk and before I knew it we were the front.

"I'm suddenly very aware of where I'm standing" I said. Kusanivy and my sister both laughed.

There I was, the two in front of me had their autographs and left. I suddenly was nearly frozen in place, until I rushed forward.

"Hi" Doug said to me.

"Hi" I said back. We shook hands. The moments that followed almost blend together but I'll recall what I can.

My excitment was at fever pitch, as my mother and sister would later point out, I was glowing. He saw the PaleMan picture I had selected.

"Big Pans Labyrinth fan?"

"Oh yeah, absolutley, Pans Labyrinth and The Orphanage both made me tear up at the end." I said.

"I haven't seen The Orphanage yet, so don't spoil it for me" he smiled.

"I won't."

I than told him how I'm a huge fan, he smiled. "Who is this?" he asked looking at my sister.

"This is my sister!" She ran forward.

"Hello sister" he took her hand and kissed it. She told him her name and they had a wonderful moment. Later she would tell everyone, "Doug Jones, kissed my hand! I shall never wash it again! It is a holy object!", she has since washed her hand of course. But her giddy happy feelings are still there. I continued on, reitterating that I am a big fan.

"You look familiar ... have we met before?" he asked.

"No we haven't" I answered. I added that I post on DTF, Kusanivy suggested I do this.

"Do you?" he said,

"Yes, under LobsterJustin."

And in a moment I will never forget he looked up at me and pointed "YOU'RE LobsterJustin!!!"

"Yes I am."

"I thought you looked familiar ..."

Doug Jones knows who I am. A fact that would later be retold by my sister to my mother and by my mother to my father. No one seemed to really believe it. We continued talking and I owned up to posting the rumor of his involvment in the Green Lantern movie in the Doug Jones thread. He asked me if I read his response, I had, and while he again said that he didn't know what was going on he'd love to be part of it. I than went on saying how he'd be perfect and that there were just a number of characters that he would be great as. My sister pulled out the camera. We stood side-by-side. And took our picture.

What followed was one of Doug's patented hugs. Just lovely. This was something that would also confuse my mother as I would later find out that she had been watching the whole time.

"Why is he hugging Justin?" she admitted saying to herself. With that my time with Doug had come to an end. But as my sister and I went to leave we remembered Kusanivy's gift. Well she remembered, I was still in Happy Land. We moved a few feet away and watched. If you've seen her video and pics of the moment than you have an idea of what happened. It was so very wonderful. And another memory from the day that I won't soon forget. Everyone applauded. John Alexander came over to inspect the amazing gift with Doug. Just incredible. After her own time with Doug Kusanivy came over to the group and after a moment we said our goodbyes. Later my group would leave the con and head home. Laughing and joking and talking like little children the whole way. And even hours after the day's events, even as I was being sprayed with, essentially, a sprinkler of human feces (long story) I was still smiling. It was a great day. And I met Doug and Kusanivy. Best Motor City Comic Con EVER.

Thank you Doug and Kusanivy for being there. What a great day.

~ Justin Beard
South Lyon, Michigan, U.S.A.
20th May, 2009