Early on in my radio career, weekday afternoons at 3, I would enter the control room in the original KTSA building located at 4050 Eisenhauer Road San Antonio, Texas,
Around 3:40 pm a vision would appear at the studio window that I have never forgotten. As I turned to look out, there, amid a field of Texas Bluebonnets, was an 11 year old boy sitting on his bicycle with a small transistor radio taped to the handle bars.
He would sit, watch, listen, laugh, and learn.
Since no visitors were allowed in the control room, I would often go outside to say hello, offering him advice, encouragement and occasionally giving him record albums or movie passes. These gifts were not why he came.
He wanted to be in radio one day.
Shortly after 6 pm , as my show ended, he would wave goodbye, put up his bike’s kickstand, and roll off back home.
In the summertime, while other children were spending the afternoon playing ball and swimming, he’d still appear at my window, often with a towel tied around his small neck and draped on his shoulders like Superman.
He was a small boy with big dreams.
Over the years, I had often wondered what ever became of him. Then, one day, decades later, I received an email that brought tears of joy to my eyes.
The message was from “the kid at the window”, relating that after college graduation with a degree in communications, he landed his first job in radio, came up through the ranks, and was now the general manager of a radio station in upstate New York. He had made it.
He was writing to say thank you for my positive influence and mentioned that he never passed up an opportunity to help a novice along the way.
His letter served to remind me that we are never too young to dream and always in a position to inspire a fellow dreamer. It’s been said that the true symbol of success is two arms: one stretched up to reach for help and the other extended downward to help another.
And, isn’t this true about anything we say and do around other human beings? We teach and help by the most powerful method ever known: our actions.
Albert Schweitzer once wrote, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.”
As you reach for your personal dream daily, may you take heart and pride in knowing that someone is always watching.
Sonny Melendrez is a broadcaster, inspirational speaker, and author of “The Art of Living With Enthusiasm!” For booking information email: sonny@sonnyradio.com or visit www.SonnyMelendrez.com
3 comments:
I remember as a kid doing the same thing at KGOE Thousand Oaks when it was at the Westlake Plaza. I would walk or ride from Strawberry Hill Rd all the way to Townsgate everyday. I would spend hours watching every move the DJ made and learning the craft. Only the News Director John Durbin would come out and say hi when he could.
Before that, it was KNJO Thousand Oaks; which was much closer to home. At age 8, I was invited into KNJO by Bob Hamilton(back when radio people could due that). I fell in love with radio right then; I spent every free hour I had in the studio, until it was sold and the door closed. Lucky for me! My dad worked for Ma Bell in Hollywood; handling all the phone systems for the big LA radio stations that were located there.
I got the royal tours of KHJ, KMPC, KKDJ (KIIS) I was hooked on radio for life! Radio kept me out of a lot of trouble; so I wanted to make sure every person like me would have the same chance. I founded Radio Brandy a broadcast workshop for at risk youth, kids leaving foster and throwaways. We teach all aspects of broadcasting at no cost to them. Our doors are always open!
A lot of famous radio people made Thousand Oaks home or passed through KNJO & KGOE. As a boy I delivered newspapers to a really nice guy and his mom. Turned out to be a DJ I listened too every weekend on KACY 1520; American Top 40's Casey Kasem. Of coarse I never made the connection til' I saw him on TV years later.
I have a tribute site for KNJO & KGOE to keep the memories alive.
I should mention the doors did not stay locked for long at KNJO; I was there whenever the owner was not. He would come in the back door and I would I hightail it to the front exit for years!
Thanks Sonny for being one of those good guys!
What a great story! And, what a wonderful way to give back through your Radio Brandy.
Thanks for commenting and your kind words.
Once a broadcaster, always a broadcaster!
-Sonny Melendrez
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