as per my topic indicates, this write-up is about meeting e legend. i just feel that my previous blog has not clearly express how i felt while meeting e legend and thats why ive decided to have another write-up on my brief meet-up with e legend, pele.
while coordinating his paiza and media luncheon at famous french restaurant, guy savoy, i was always standing behind e wine bar hoping to catch a glimpse of famous pele. during e luncheon, i displayed outmost professionalism with both hands constantly either at e front or at e back ready to react in anyway i am suppose to in my jobscope. to be exact, i am feeling just like a small kid hoping for an opportunity to have a photo taken with pele.
i am so excited but at e same time nervous. onsite there were so many medias around and whenever pele had a short break, there would be paiza or media guests approaching him either for photo or signature. some even went to e extend of requesting him to sign on various jerseys! i am so envy lor. for that short few hours, i am thinking of under what situation would i have e opportunity to approach him for a photo shot. enough is enough, e moment dan, nyc chief marketing officer, walked pass, i asked him if i could have a photo taken with pele and his reply was an instant yes! probably trying to repay a tiny bit of kindness back to me for helping him e day before, he assured me that i would get that photo taken in e usual american-black style!
i am waiting and waiting but that opportunity didnt look promising as e time drew nearer for him to leave e restaurant. then i was kind of "aiya, just another near-miss again".... just before pele started leaving e restaurant, dan pulled me over to pele whos on his way out, he introduced me to pele and mentioned that ive been a great help for e past few days during their promo tour! pele exchanged smile with me. i shook his thick hand, without releasing after e firm shake, both of our hands moved to e buddies-style shake and i had e most blissful-feel photo taken with e legendary player! not once, but twice we had e photo taken - dan assured we have e best shot in e dimmed french restaurant.
to me, pele is not just an typical futbol idol. i admit he does not belong to my era but again, to me, he is a legend. a legend whom my dad has been telling me since i was young, a legend who has been named e greatest player ever on planet. this year he is 70yrs old and truthfully say i am not sure if i will ever have e opportunity to meet him again. with e photo taken with him, hopefully his legend stored in that piece of photo can be passed down to my next generation, my child, my grandchildren and on and on. so when someone wants to share his or her experiences when meeting up with e legend pele, i would say ive done his luncheon together with another great, eric cantona, ive pulled his chair for pele, i shook his hand, firm shake and ive got a photo taken with e great legend...