More than a year-and-a-half after I launched Wooster Media Group LLC as a home-based business, I realized I needed an office. I was able to rent space at Pounden Technology Development Center in the BioHio Research Park. Soon, a lot of friends dropped by my office, which gave my friend AJ the idea of visiting, too. We talked about it for a while over Facebook, but his parents told him that before he could visit, he had to “earn it.” He did so on Friday AJ stopped by the world headquarters, and it was something special.
AJ is a teenager who is on the Autism spectrum and suffers from severe anxiety, however, you would have never known it based on Friday’s visit. When he first arrived at my office in Wooster, he was all smiles, but he let me know he was nervous. He appeared to be very calm and relaxed for someone who said he was nervous. AJ is pretty talented. He is a clown … literally. He gets painted up and wears a costume. He also serves as the mascot for several organizations. He dons a full-body costume and plays the part of a fire dog or Easter bunny. And he does some magic.
I have been performing magic since I was about 9 or 10 years old. So, I brought a new deck of cards, some sponge balls, and a Zig Zag rope effect to teach AJ. We were waiting on two things: Pizza from East of Chicago in Wooster and Dan Starcher, a mutual friend. So, AJ, his father, Andy Baillis, and I hung out in the conference room as I performed and taught AJ magic. The pizza arrived before Dan did, and we were not about to wait on him.
When I called East of Chicago, I spoke with Blair Young, who operates the restaurant, and asked if he could do something special for me. AJ likes pepperoni on his pizza, and I wanted to know if Blair could assemble the pepperoni slices to make the letters A and J. Blair said he could, but he was concerned when the pizza was sliced, it would ruin the lettering.
Thankfully, Blair offered a solution: He would send a pizza cutter along with the driver so AJ would see the whole pizza with his name spelled out in pepperoni slices. How thoughtful. East of Chicago was running a special: A large, two-topping pizza with cheesy garlic bread, so that’s what I ordered, except pepperoni only.
AJ was surprised when he opened the pizza and saw his name spelled out. Many people have seen their names in lights, but how many have seen their names in pepperoni, Andy asked. I cannot express how thankful I was for Blair accommodating my young friend, AJ. I posted the photo on Facebook, thanking Blair and his crew for making the “special AJ pizza.” Later in the day, when I went to return the pizza cutter, Blair said someone called and asked if he could get the “AJ special.” “Sure,” Blair said. He also had letters in his hand for the sign out front. He was on his way to put up this message: “The AJ Special $16.99.”
Friday was a special day for me. I got to see AJ again. We first met many years ago. I cannot remember if it was at an event to honor the late Audrey Beaverson at the Wayne County Fire & Rescue Association Regional Training Facility or in Rittman at city hall or the fire department. It was also special because friends like Dan Starcher, Ron Maxwell, Elliott Schreiner and Kenny Hart have embraced him as their friend, too.
AJ wanted to be in a GreatHouse Boyz video, so we got to do that, too. AJ was funny. He knew our opening and closing bits, and we gave AJ a hard time for jumping in our introduction (I had to tell him at one point, “Woah, you need to wait your turn, son!”). It was hilarious. There’s a funny bit about when we are reviewing the cheesy garlic bread from East of Chicago, and I ask AJ If he cut the cheese. Without missing a beat, he had a comeback. It was hilarious.
If you are friends with me, Dan or Ron on Facebook, you know AJ picks on us a lot, and we return the favor. It was so much fun having AJ visit the world headquarters of Wooster Media Group LLC. You might say it was The AJ Special $16.99.
