Who Knew?!?

"Mean" Mike Miller Autograph

     Yes, as a YOUNG child, I thought wrestling was real.  I didn't know why Rip Oliver hated Billy Jack Haynes and would go to any lengths to destroy him.  That's just how it was.  Billy Jack was good and he did good stuff, and Rip Oliver was bad and did bad stuff, so they had to fight it out each week in the squared circle.  It made perfect sense to me and I didn't question it. 
     Until one day.  I was selling Camp Fire Candy out in front of a Fred Meyer store and "Mean" Mike Miller walked up.  If you have ever sold candy as a kid, you know that you have to chase most people down and almost beg them to purchase candy, cookies, pepperoni sticks, or whatever at highly inflated prices.  Usually out in front of a store that sells very similar items for MUCH cheaper.  But on this day the "Mean" man himself walked up and asked me how much the candy was.  I was stunned!  I didn't know what to say.  My mom said, "She is so surprised because you are her favorite wrestler."    And I quickly replied, "WHAT?  NO!  He's a bad guy!"  He just chuckled and bought 4, yes 4, boxes of overpriced candy from me.  He smiled and winked and was so sweet, and about half way through him picking his flavors, I started to feel guilty.  I also started to realize that wrestling may not be quite what it seems.  First Santa Claus and now Wrestling?  What else was fake, the gold around Mr. T's neck? 
     That night, at the Sports Arena, I couldn't boo "Mean" Mike Miller.  I never could again.  I was so relieved when he became a good guy a while later.