Meeting My Idol, Arnold Schwarzenegger

He was Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was the Terminator. He was the guy that kicked the Predator's giant rear end. He had the biggest muscles in Hollywood. He had just recently released a book on fitness. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the book but this article isn't about Arnie's books. It's about my experience when I met one of my biggest idols.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's full name is Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger. He was born on July 30, 1947 in Thal bei Graz, Steiermark, Austria.

I grew up watching Arnold Schwarzenegger's films. I had played The Terminator and its sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day more times in the VCR than I could count. I had posters of Arnold in everything from The Terminator to Raw Deal covering my bedroom walls. The man was my hero. Then I was suddenly hit by lightning when I found out Arnold Schwarzenegger was coming to town. He was doing a book-signing tour through Tattered Cover book stores. One thing on the advertisement that would later bother me for some time read: "No memorabilia." Being all of 10 or 13, I brought Arnold Schwarzenegger a pair of Terminator-like sunglasses.

Arnold was young when he started bodybuilding - 15 years old to be exact. Before that, Arnold was big on sports, especially soccor. In his weight training, Arnold started to study psychology and learned a great deal about the power of the mind over the body. He soon gained widespread attention and claim for his bodybuilding performance and enormous physique. Arnold was nicknamed "The Austrian Oak" and "The Stryian Oak" during his body-building days.

It was a good time of the year for Arnold to line everyone up around the block just to get his signature. I think it was in the spring. Temperatures were in the 70s and 80s. The line went from the top floor, down several flights of stairs, through several rooms, out the front entrance and down the street.

Arnold moved to the United States in 1968. He was 21. In Arnold's own words, his English was "very bad." He met an English teacher, Barbara Outland Baker and started getting an English education. Then in 1970, he was only 23 years old when Arnold picked up his first Mr. Olympia title in New York. He would go on to win the title a total of seven times.

My uncle and I went off to do something, leaving my mother to stand in this huge line in our place. I think she waited there for 2 hours, but I can't be sure. She was not happy. But neither were we when we got there, and were forced to wait another hour or so. Compared to this, the line for any amusement park ride was a dream.

Also, by 1970, Arnold had long desired to break into movies and he did. He would first be in such forgettable films as Hercules in New York. His accent was so thick, producers ordered all of his lines to be dubbed after production. Then Arnold actually played a deaf mute hit-man for the mob in Robert Altman's film, The Long Goodbye. He would later appear in Conan: The Barbarian, and Stay Hungry. He later would say that the beginning of his career was very difficult - "his body was too weird" and he had a "funny accent."

Finally when we reached the top floor of this tall book store, there he was, sitting behind a table, autographing this fitness book. I couldn't take my eyes off this big man whom I had devoted my life to becoming. Arnold was wearing a suit. He had the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger smile - you know, big teeth, cheerful demeanor. The line was moving forward, slowly but surely. My mother and my uncle were standing by with a camera. Then I arrived at the table with those unwanted, unnecessary sunglasses in hand. I set the book in front of Arnold. My mother and uncle hustled to get a good picture. I gave Arnold the glasses. He was delighted. He put the glasses on, and smiled.

After making such hits as The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Predator, Total Recall and True Lies, Arnold decided to go into politics. He would deliver such legendary film quotes as "I'll be back" and "Hasta La Vista, Baby." He was now known best as the Terminator. His Hollywood nicknames were now, "Arnold Strong" and "Arnie." But once he became the Governor of California, his nickname became, the "Governator."

I was speechless, and my mother and uncle were taking pictures. This was intense, this was a dream come true, and Arnold couldn't have been cooler. I on the other hand was acting like a dumbfounded idiot. When it was all over, the camera had never gotten the shot - supposedly it just wasn't working, and all I was left with was a memory to last a lifetime.

Final note

Like Arnold Schwarzenegger's body, his life has been truly epic in scope. My own experience in meeting this legendary bodybuilder, this legendary movie star, this remarkable man was actually an epic in itself.