Charles "Peanut" Tillman

Charles "Peanut" Tillman, a photo by tracyg00 on Flickr.

I typically like to blog about events in chronological order, but I wanted to get this one down on "paper" before I forgot the details. On Tuesday evening, I took the kids to one of our local running stores to shoot photos for work. They were hosting a fun run that featured Peanut Tillman and raising money for his foundation. On the way to the store, I was explaining to the kids that he was a football player for the Chicago Bears, etc. Megan's biggest question was whether or not he was famous.

When we got there, it wasn't very busy. The kids were a little shy at first and then Jake whispered in my ear..."is that Peanut with the brown skin?". When I told him it was, he walked up to him and said, "Hey Peanut, are you gonna play a football game today?" Charles explained that he would not be playing a football game, but he would love it if he were. Jake also asked him why his name was Peanut. Charles told him it was because he was a really small baby. He autographed a mini football for the kids and they proceeded to run around the store, tossing the ball up in the air and catching it. Jake got a little overzealous with one of his tosses and it ended up going over the wall and into the storage area in the back. He had the owner of the store back there looking for it, but we think it must have gotten caught up on one of the shelves. Jake looked so sad - like he wanted to cry but was holding it in. The owner said, "I'm sure he'll give you another one". So, Jake took that as an invitation to go and ask for another. He marched right up to Charles and said, "Hey Peanut, I lost my football. Can I have another one?" Of course, he got one. Jake pretty much made himself at home at that store. I was talking to someone by the counter and overheard Jake tell a little girl by the front door, "Hey, did you know there is a guy here whose name is Peanut?!"

And, I must add that Charles Tillman couldn't have been a nicer guy.