molly
Ultimate Ruffness
Posts: 7,446
|
Post by molly on Apr 11, 2004 12:28:43 GMT -5
I 'm in between parties, and like Molly- you remind me of someone I knew on the old board- I can't spell, so please bear with me. My post about the first time I saw the guys in concert was not my story about the one time I met David Ruffin. This is the only way I can tell it. All dates and times are approximations. Here goes. It is October , 1988. David and Eddie are billed for a concert at the Dade County zoo. My first wife and I go there to see the show, as I had not seen DR live for 20 years, although I tried to see him during the Reunion Tour but he had already left the group. As we get to the concert area, I see David off to my left, right by the stage but on ground level.There are 12-15 fans around him, and he appears to be signing autographs and just talking. My wife suggests for me to go up. I start walking. Half way there the fans disperse as if DR told them he had to go. David turns and walks toward the back area. I walk faster to where he had been. I get there and shout out "David".This is one of those moments where events move in slow speed. I watch DR after I shouted his name. He took a step forward, continuing with his walk to the back of the stage. His strides were long and slow. His head was down. He took another step, and I began to feel disappointment, and I inhaled to call his name again. David took a third step before I could say anything. On that third step, he pivoted. He turned and walked back to me. With each step, David became taller. I am not tall at all, but David was taller up close than I thought. He came up to me. No one else came over. I told him I was a big fan since the Temptration days, and we talked about little things. Then I remember picking up on something he said about some other acts, and I told him I had seen alot of other acts, but that ,"You are the greatest entertainer that I have ever seen".David looked down at me, and broke into a smile. It really was not an ordinary smile. It was the kind of smile that comes spontaneously and from the heart, that is my belief. And with that, David bent over and gently hugged me. Now, this was a tad embarrassing to be hugged by a guy so tall. My head only came halfway up his chest. But I had a sense of euphoria. The longer David hugged me, the happier I became, and it seemed to last for minutes. To this day I am proud of that moment. But what I am truly proud of, is that for one moment I made David smile from ear to ear. I gave back to him just a small sense of the happiness he gave to me. I found It!!!!! Andy's memory. This shows just down to earth Ruffn was.This was a meeting between two Gentlemen!
|
|
|
Post by reggie on Apr 11, 2004 15:15:44 GMT -5
See this here is what I'm talking about! This is what people want to read about. Thanx Andy. Ruff wasn't one to hide his apprecation!
|
|
|
Post by Davidfan on Apr 11, 2004 17:02:17 GMT -5
See this here is what I'm talking about! This is what people want to read about. Thanx Andy. Ruff wasn't one to hide his apprecation! What Reggie said ;D
|
|
|
Post by Queenie on Apr 11, 2004 17:35:30 GMT -5
[quote author=molly I found It!!!!! Andy's memory. This shows just down to earth Ruffn was.This was a meeting between two Gentlemen! [/quote] Thanks Mrs. Molly,, I have commented on this post before but reading it again has taken on a new meaning for me. All I can say is David admire his fans... Like I said in an Early post "C5 concert" I will pay 1,000.00 to see DER performed and talking to him on one-on-one session I will have to take out loan on the house. Because to me he will be worth it now granted I will be crying the first half of the conversation. But at the end, I will shake his hand and tell him thank you.. Let me retract that,,, I will hug him and tell him I love you DER....You are a man of character.....
|
|
|
Post by Davidfan on Apr 11, 2004 18:20:28 GMT -5
Thanks Mrs. Molly,, I have commented on this post before but reading it again has taken on a new meaning for me. All I can say is David admire his fans... Like I said in an Early post "C5 concert" I will pay 1,000.00 to see DER performed and talking to him on one-on-one session I will have to take out loan on the house. Because to me he will be worth it now granted I will be crying the first half of the conversation. But at the end, I will shake his hand and tell him thank you.. Let me retract that,,, I will hug him and tell him I love you DER....You are a man of character..... Just hearing him is worth that 1,000 to see him preform I would pay .. WHATEVER IT COST to talk to him ... ANYTHING ELSE! ... lol ;D
|
|
|
Post by Michelle on Apr 11, 2004 20:49:02 GMT -5
Damn (((Andy)))! You saw DR up close and hugged the man! I do not know how you held your composure!! Hell, I would have been fainting, screaming and crying!! BTW, do you remember what DR was wearing? I want to ask you a few other questions but I see that you are a man, so I won't.
(((Queen)))! I am feeling you on the house part! I would have sold my house and quit my job to move where David was living at the time!
|
|
|
Post by Andy on Apr 11, 2004 21:17:34 GMT -5
Hi Molly: I just read my post again. It seems like it was yesterday. I really loved that guy.
|
|
|
Post by Andy on Apr 11, 2004 21:19:12 GMT -5
See this here is what I'm talking about! This is what people want to read about. Thanx Andy. Ruff wasn't one to hide his apprecation! Hi Reggie: Thanks for your comments. My post came from the heart, and yours did, too. Thanks again.
|
|
|
Post by Queenie on Apr 11, 2004 21:22:26 GMT -5
Hi Molly: I just read my post again. It seems like it was yesterday. I really loved that guy. thanks andy...
|
|
|
Post by Andy on Apr 11, 2004 21:27:48 GMT -5
Damn (((Andy)))! You saw DR up close and hugged the man! I do not know how you held your composure!! Hell, I would have been fainting, screaming and crying!! BTW, do you remember what DR was wearing? I want to ask you a few other questions but I see that you are a man, so I won't. (((Queen)))! I am feeling you on the house part! I would have sold my house and quit my job to move where David was living at the time! Hi Michelle:Several things stick out in my mind, but the one thing was the euphoria when he smiled and hugged me. I can't explain it except to say it wasn't happiness or joy. It was euphoria. David was like all of us. He wanted to be loved and appreciated and I treasure the day I made him smile.
|
|
|
Post by Andy on Apr 11, 2004 21:28:29 GMT -5
You are welcome.
|
|
molly
Ultimate Ruffness
Posts: 7,446
|
Post by molly on Apr 12, 2004 12:40:02 GMT -5
Hi Molly: I just read my post again. It seems like it was yesterday. I really loved that guy. Andy that story and the Blind Man story are two of my favorites. They show exactly how he was. I have had many people either ask or say that "they heard" Ruffin was arrogant or ignorant to his fans. I am always amazed at how anybody that ever met him could say that. Because as you and Bees know he was a very humble talented man. Er..ummm. humble when it came to his fans/friends that is. Andy I know you loved him!!! Bees thanks for fixing this post. I don't know what I did wrong!
|
|
|
Post by Andy on Apr 12, 2004 21:07:55 GMT -5
Andy that story and the Blind Man story are two of my favorites. They show exactly how he was. I have had many people either ask or say that "they heard" Ruffin was arrogant or ignorant to his fans. I am always amazed at how anybody that ever met him could say that. Because as you and Bees know he was a very humble talented man. Er..ummm. humble when it came to his fans/friends that is. Andy I know you loved him!!! Bees thanks for fixing this post. I don't know what I did wrong! Hello Molly: I understand that you have a story or two of your own. Would you be kind enough to share one of them with us?
|
|
molly
Ultimate Ruffness
Posts: 7,446
|
Post by molly on Apr 15, 2004 11:22:27 GMT -5
Hello Molly: I understand that you have a story or two of your own. Would you be kind enough to share one of them with us? Hello My friend! I just finished reading der's story of how she met Ruffin. I thought it was beautiful. I do have a few Ruffin stories . I met Ruffin shortly after he joined the Tempts. I didn't get to know him until he started seeing Tammi Terrell. At first I knew him as Tammi's boyfriend,but we grew to be friends in our own right. My ex-husband knew Ruffin before the Tempts. He was attractive but it was his personality that I was drawn to. I remember The Tempts were appearing at the Apollo in New York. A couple of days before the show my then husband and I was walking on 125th Street not far from the Apollo. Out of nowhere we heard somebody "Yelling" "Yall mother F*****s aint gotta walk. Yall can roll with me".We turn around there is Ruffin standing outside of a Limo that is stopped in the middle of 125th street. People started yelling "thats him...thats David Ruffin"! We get in the limo,thinking we are going somewhere to hang out. The Limo went up the street,and turned parking at the stage door of the Apollo. Ruffin had to rehearse. Late? oh yeah! He was late yet he was acting like he was early.LOL!LOL!LOL! O was pissed you coud see it,but he didn't say anything{at least not in our presense} Ruffin then proceeded to try and run the rehersal. The other Tempts were laffing,O was not. Ruffin was messing with O. He was always the life of any gathering. Ruffin made everybody's mood better. Well not O's. He was a funny man. He could make you laugh even if you were mad at him.
|
|
|
Post by Queenie on Apr 15, 2004 11:32:02 GMT -5
Hello My friend! I just finished reading der's story of how she met Ruffin. I thought it was beautiful. I do have a few Ruffin stories . I met Ruffin shortly after he joined the Tempts. I didn't get to know him until he started seeing Tammi Terrell. At first I knew him as Tammi's boyfriend,but we grew to be friends in our own right. My ex-husband knew Ruffin before the Tempts. He was attractive but it was his personality that I was drawn to. I remember The Tempts were appearing at the Apollo in New York. A couple of days before the show my then husband and I was walking on 125th Street not far from the Apollo. Out of nowhere we heard somebody "Yelling" "Yall mother F*****s aint gotta walk. Yall can roll with me".We turn around there is Ruffin standing outside of a Limo that is stopped in the middle of 125th street. People started yelling "thats him...thats David Ruffin"! We get in the limo,thinking we are going somewhere to hang out. The Limo went up the street,and turned parking at the stage door of the Apollo. Ruffin had to rehearse. Late? oh yeah! He was late yet he was acting like he was early.LOL!LOL!LOL! O was pissed you coud see it,but he didn't say anything{at least not in our presense} Ruffin then proceeded to try and run the rehersal. The other Tempts were laffing,O was not. Ruffin was messing with O. He was always the life of any gathering. Ruffin made everybody's mood better. Well not O's. He was a funny man. He could make you laugh even if you were mad at him. Mrs. Molly that is sooo funny.. He was crazy... Late and trying to run the rehersal.. That is why (Eddie, Paul, and Melvin) like being around him he brighten up their day. BTW, Mrs. Molly the scene with "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" video clip when they start dancing David has Eddie and O laughing. Gosh I wish I was a fly on the wall to hear that conversation.
|
|