Friday, June 6, 2014

The two times I got to meet a TMNT

When I was a kid my parents took me to the James Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA to meet a real Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I couldn't really be more excited. I was going to get to see a live Ninja Turtle. I so hoped it would be Michelangelo because he was always my favorite, but any Turtle would do. My Mom, Dad, Sister, and I all went and stood in line. The Art Museum is actually an old prison that was repurposed once a more modern jail was built. It's very cool looking from the outside. We stood in line for a long time and eventually got to go into this little area not really in the museum. I walked in and my heart was kind of broken. Deep down I knew it was too good to be true. I didn't really think that there was a real TMNT within 20 minutes of my house, but this guy wasn't even trying. I mean come on... I can see the strap holding his shell up. I smiled for my photo and my sister did the same and we went home.


Six months to a year later my parents spent a ton of cash (and money was always tight) and took us to see the TMNT Coming out of Our Shells Tour. From our nose bleed seats I was convinced those guys were the real Turtles. That night is still a very found memory of my childhood. My Dad tried to talk me into getting the program as my souvenir at the concert ($10). I insisted on getting a pair of (practice) nunchucks ($20). I still have them. If you've never heard of this tour check it out here.


Close to twenty years after meeting Raphael at the art museum I saw this mask at the costume shop in the same town. I wonder if they removed the headband because there wasn't much call for Ninja Turtles anymore or if they had four different headbands.

5 comments:

  1. They say never meet your heroes....and i see why lol. Just kidding but i could imagine the disappointment in your young heart but at lest you have a great memory and a story to tell from it.

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  2. I never met someone in costume as a kid. Maybe they didn;t come down near Georgia way.

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    1. We meet some Care Bears at the Grand Opening of a Pizza Hut.

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  3. I don't remember ever meeting anybody in costume as a kid (besides Santa Clause)but I do remember becoming eerily attached to the robotic guitar playing Lion at Chuck E. Cheese.He seemed so real to me.

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