Shine 'Em On!!!!

We have a saying down here that's used when you want to ignore someone without making them feel ignored. It's used when you want to make annoying SOBs go away, but you can't afford to offend 'em:

You just “Shine 'Em On!”

Shining on someone involves telling them whatever needs to be told in order to shut 'em up, leave 'em ignorantly happy, and with the full hope they won't realize that they're nothing more than an aggravation and necessary evil in the eyes of the “Shiner.”

Today, I'm watching the Richmond race from the comfort of my sofa – NOT, as planned, from a seat at Richmond International Raceway, and boy-howdy I'm glad! Hubby and I had planned for the better part of a year to make a return trip to VA this year for a NASCAR Fan Club event we were led to believe would be a repeat, annual shindig prior to the race, and to enjoy ourselves prowling about the Blue Ridge mountains for antiques. We're not there; and I'm not 100% sure, but I think we got shined on.

Tried to get info earlier in the year to confirm the event so we could make money-saving advance reservations, buy race tix, secure convenient hotel, etc. A race weekend for two, including airfare, costs appx. $2,000 per person – and advance planning on airfare is the only way many can afford to make the trip. Kept getting assurances that an event was in the works, but when I asked for further confirmation, well, I got shined on.

Good thing, too! Turns out Fan Club folks finally decided to forego the event entirely, and have opted for a 3 hour bowling alley appearance on a weeknight in another city all together. That's about an hour shorter than the average free autograph appearance for a NASCAR driver – and once again folks are being asked to pay for the privilege of attending (even though they've already paid annual FC dues). Attempts to find out why the sudden turn of events have been met with lots of sparkly shine.

I think I know why. Fame, fortune and celebrity cost a public figure dearly – loss of privacy, relinquishment of control over ones' time, schedule, and outside pursuits; the inability to venture forth in public without creating a scene and, sadly, the ever-present collection of maniac-fans who tend to make the rest seem an insurmountable threat to one's sanity. The compensation, though, is the upside. The obvious financial rewards of fame and fortune ensure the celeb the ability to live comfortably, and in peace and private AFTER the limelight has gone out. One way to tell when that's happened? There's nobody left to shine on anymore.

My hometown is full of “one-hit-wonders” and I've been around enough in the music biz to see how many are remembered and how many have been forgotten by all but the annoying maniacs. The former are the ones who created a legacy of loyalty by treating their admirers with respect, appreciation and making them feel a sense of value and participation in the end result which is a successful career. The latter? They just shined everybody on......................

Soooo – the next time my favorite NASCAR celebrity's staff emails me a request to support their benefits, subscribe to their club, enroll in their $20-a-month online games and passtimes – I hope they have on their sunglasses. I might start doin' a little shinin' of my own!