One of our resident and most talented artists, Iris J. Scadden, was at Starfest this past weekend, and shared this story of her and her grandchildren's adventure as they met Sean Astin. I was very touched by this story and thought that it was too precious not too share. I asked Iris for her permission to publish this and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

Hi Terry,

Sorry I've been so out of touch. Anyway, we attended Starfest this weekend. Whew! What an experience!

Here is the day in three Acts:

Act I: The Epiphany

Last week my wonderful "hired-to-tell-me-what's-going-on-in-the-world" sister in law calls.
Sis: "Hi I, did you know that Sean Astin is going to be at Starfest this year?"
Me: "What are you talking about? Do you mean the Star Trek Convention?"
Sis: "They don't call it that anymore. Anyway, it's next week-end and Sean Astin is going to be there."
Me: "That is so cool! I can't believe it."
Sis: "Yeah, it's in the paper. You DO read the paper, right?"
Me: (crossing fingers) "Oh sure. Every day. I just haven't today, Jimmy must have done something with it."
Sis: (pretending to believe me)"Well, just in case you don't find it, go on line to starland.com & sign up as an artist so people can see your work. Did you hear me? Do you have a pencil?"
Me: "Right, I will remember."
Sis: "Do it now. "
Me: "Ok. Thanks a million. I'm going to do it right now. Bye."
Sis: "Take your artwork so people can see it."

I hang up, promptly go back to the studio, paint with the children, and forget the website name.

Phone rings (next day). It's my other sister. "Hey I, are you going to do that art thing at that convention this weekend? Isn't one of the Lord of the Rings characters going to be there? You should take your art."

After the conversation, I go back to painting. Another day goes by. I get an e-mail from my Mythopoeic buddy. It's a forwarded notice of fantasy Art Conventions and very nice prose about "Nightingale." By the way...am I going to the convention?

I go online and sign my little babes to take photos with Sean Astin, plus one autograph for Albert, because Sean is his hero. He's only seven, but he wants to see all Sean's films. After all, Sam is the real hero, you know.

Act II: Where We Foolishly Jump Out of Our Pond

Three small children spend the night. We go to the hotel. The children are just giddy with anticipation. They have all three had dreams about going to the convention and meeting Sam. While we are in line they chant "I am Sam, Sam I am. Sam-Sam-Sam---Sam-Sam---Sam-Sam." They are wearing their special shirts. For an hour it was more like "Hop on Pop" or was it the wiggles?
I'm claustrophobic... so the autograph line for Sean Astin nearly killed me.
By the time Angelina, Albert, Jimmy and I got to the front, I was on the verge of madness. People above me, people in front of me, people to the right of me, people to the left of me, people TOUCHING me! In a very small hallway. AAUUUGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Just take the picture and go...stay calm - it will all be over soon--we can go outside--yesss, outside, we remembers outside - that's where we can go).
Then it was our turn. He was very nice; nice to see, nice to hear, calm voice, eye contact with those he spoke to, and nice to children...told the guys "Cool shirts," and "You have a lovely family," and something else I don't remember.

Sean (Sam Gamgee) is, to Albert, the boy in the photo getting his shirt signed, a great hero.

Albert was beside himself. I gave Sean a copy of Escape from the Tower and another painting, then we left to find something to do while waiting (an eternity) for the photo session.
After lunch at McD's, and another eternity, we finally got to the front of the photo line - where Angelina freaked out and changed her mind about taking a picture.
Have you ever gone to one of those? There are a number of assorted line Nazis who lower their voice to tell you "Back against the wall!" and "Clear this area!" and "Do not ask Mr. Astin to personalize autographs." and "No outside photography of any kind!" "Keep moving, out this way." and so on. Most of the time squinty eyes move from child to child with distain and irritation, not unlike the robot in Battlestar Galactica. As you know, children can be difficult to predict, and, therefore, control in a crowd, and they have been known to stick their tongues out occassionally, make faces, or do impressions of the guards while dancing...completely unacceptable behavior among Elves, Fairies, Vampires, Hobbits, and assorted monsters or space people - otherwise known as grown-ups.

Not a lot of children go. Hmmmm...

Back to the story:

Albert and Jimmy ecstatically take their photo with Sean, who is once again fantastic in nicety (either that or he is an even more amazing actor).
Jimmy says to Sean, "We have Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers at our house."
Sean tells him, "You know I'm in that."
Jimmy: "I know, I think you're the real hero."
Sean grins, "Well, thank you!"
Albert is so excited he just looks at Sean with sparkling eyes. They also have a bit of conversation.
All the while, panic grows in the heart of little Angelina. Photo guards have replaced the line Nazis as I try to talk Angelina into walking to the other side of the photo area. She must have seen the Medusa because she is frozen in place. I try to pull her by her hand only to find that she has somehow been glued to the floor...and as I pull, she lets out a howl. I then have become the lead beggar with the boys, and the guards, and the photographer, and the 50 to 100 people in line behind us all chanting "back up!!"

Act III Sean & His Buddy Save the Day

Sean says, "She doesn't have to take the picture if she doesn't want to."
Another person steps in to take a photo, as Sean's Buddy smiles with his whole face and makes silly talk to Angelina. Cute guy. She stops crying. I tell her, amid hugs, that she doesn't have to take the picture, but I could stand with her if she wants to. Sean stops the line, says to the photographer.
"It's all right if I take a candid shot with her, isn't it?" (Who could tell him no, I ask ya?)
Little by little, he begins by trying to win her over by talking to me to show Angelina that he is o.k. She watches as he makes small talk and his buddy talks funny stuff to the boys. Sean gets down to the height of a child and smiles, and begins to include Angelina in the conversation, telling her that his own little girl had been afraid of having a photo once. All the while, he carefully moves closer until he is next to her. This went on for several minutes while the whole world waited. The photographer took the picture.

It was lovely.

Then we thanked Sean (especially) and his buddy and moved on. The line Nazis changed into smiling people who like children.

Then we waited eternally for our photos.

The End.

Kindest Regards,
Iris