I don't know why it's taken me this long to post this. The show was in February. I've been lazy and neglecting my blog. Anyway, here it is. My homie Calvin Jones! Don't forget, HE asked for MY autograph!
I have to offer tribute whenever I go. So this time, I made some Park Tool themed desserts!
Apparently, I seem to have left an impression on people. They recognised me and my boss at reception. They asked if we were there yesterday. We said no, they must be remembering us from last year.
I was surprised that Truman Purdy was here this year!
He was talking to other people, so we browsed the stalls for a bit.
The other man who was there last year, I never got his name, but even he remembered us! He said, Calvin's doing his talk in a minute. I remember you're a fan of him. Wow! How did I leave such an impression?
So then we went to watch Calvin's talk about spokes, and you can watch some of it here on my PeerTube. They had a cameraman filming it for BikeRadar, but who knows where the full footage is.
Calvin did a Q&A after the talk. I wanted to ask what ParkTool could do to tackle sexism in the bike industry — I've never experienced such blatant, overt sexism in any other job — but I was way too shy to go on mic. Then I realised later that I could have written it on my phone and asked them to read it. After the talk, I got him to sign my Big Blue Book and I gave him his doughnut.
Afterwards, my boss needed to go loo, so I went back to the ParkTool stall and waited for Truman to be free. Then I got so starstruck, I didn't know what to say. I think I thanked him for the tutorials and then he signed my Big Blue Book and he told me a secret. He told me what the C. in C. Calvin Jones stands for. And I don't know if that's a secret or not, but I can't find anything online, so I'm assuming he doesn't want it widely known. It's not an embarrasing name like Clarence or anything like that. But until I found out it's not a secret, I'm taking it with me to the grave.
Anyway, he liked the doughnut. He gave me a gift back! A cute little 10mm spanner that doubles as a bottle opener. A couple of months later, I lost it. I did that thing where you put it away for safekeeping, then forget where. But I did find it in the end. It was tucked away with my DSi!
Calvin returned to the ParkTool stall, and I learned that he doesn't have a favourite baseball team and in fact doesn't like baseball at all. He said he really liked the little doughnut and asked me if I'm still going with the notebook.
HE REMEMBERED ME!!!!!!
I told him my mechanic training is on pause for now. He said he has something for me and got me a little ParkTool notebook. They're such gentlemen! Offer them tribute and they'll give you a gift back!
Calvin Jones is awesome and so is Truman and so is the other man whose name I don't know. If I get an invite next year and he's there, I'll give him the spare ParkTool cupcake I have. I was going to give it when we saw him on the way out, but autist brain can't do things spur of the moment.
Okay, that's all. Bye!