Peaches & Herb Had It Totally Right.

Sit me down in front of the television to watch the news, talk shows, reality tv, or *insert random tv genre here*, and if there is a teaser indicating a reunion of some sort, you won’t be able to tear me away. I am a total sucker for the following:

*Coverage of soldiers coming home to family, especially if it’s a surprise
*The first meeting between an organ donor and recipient
*A reunion between a family and the newly-renovated house that they live in
*Reunited tv casts of the past
*Reality reunion shows that reunite the reality stars from that same show (ya follow me on that one?)
*Reunions between long-lost loved ones who lost touch
*Reunions between long-lost loved ones who have never met

I guess I’m attracted to these sorts of stories because in general I’m a sentimental person. I love to watch the (in most cases) pure joy that is all over the faces of the reunited, and I sob like a little baby as I watch, shaking my head and mumbling things like, “Oh, look at her…I can’t believe it! Oh my gosh…look at them! How exciting!” These reunions really change lives. (Well, the tv cast ones really don’t. But you know what I mean.)

When I found the show “The Locator” on WE television, I was hooked. Troy Dunn reunited his mother with her birth parents about 20 years ago, and sometime after that started a business locating other people’s long-lost family. I like this show alot for several reasons. First of all, it’s only a 30 minute-long show. That’s awesome. I get *just enough* of the details to get drawn in emotionally without a bunch of boring time filler. I also love watching his staff (including his mother!) all fill him in on the various bits of information they find, to contribute to the search. He writes it all on a plexiglass wall of sorts, and it looks very cop-show like. And I love his slogan: “You can’t find peace until you find all the pieces.” When Troy finally reunites the searcher and the searchee, I practically drown in happy tears. And then it’s over; I can dry my tears and move on with my day.

Want to get a little taste? Here you go:

The art of finding people intrigues me. Actually, finding anything intrigues me. I love to sniff out secrets and am ruthless in my interrogations when I think someone is keeping something from me, which makes me a total pain in the a$$ around my birthday.

I used to brag that nobody could pull one over on me, but that was before Jim and Julesie threw me a surprise birthday party for my 30th birthday…IN MY OWN HOUSE. I mean, you’ve got to really have major cahones to even imagine that you could pull off a huge surprise party for your wife and sister in her own house. Bigger than that, they contacted my first crush (from 8th grade, who I have been in contact with off and on all these years), as well as my first kiss (9th grade, who I hadn’t seen since 1987 when he and the first crush took me to the airport when I was flying out to finally live with Jim after we got married) and the guy who was just about an honorary brother to me all through high school (who I hadn’t been in contact with since he graduated in 1985), and they all flew from Tennessee up here to surprise me in my own house. The details are a story for another day. My point is, that was the biggest combination of surprises in my entire life, and I still can’t believe I didn’t have a clue.

Anything else, I’m usually eventually in on it, even by accident. A couple of years ago I was checking our credit card bill to make sure everything was in order when I found the charge that Jim paid to redeem frequent flyer miles for two tickets to New York, for Julesie and me. Oops!

Private investigating would be awesome. Anyone out there need me to find anything for you? Like that other sock that always disappears in the washer? Your keys? Glasses? Just let me know.

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12 Comments

  • Mom24

    great post. What an awesome party. I am truly in awe. Not so happy however that that song is going to be running in my head now…;-)

  • Melissa

    LOL! Can you find my health? 🙂

    Wow, that sounds like quite the party. How in the world could you have missed the fact that it was going to be in your own HOUSE…

    Looks like I’m going to have to add this one into the tivo…what is WeTV…guess I’ll have to check the guide.

  • Kat

    Meh…we’re totally like sisters. I can already tell that we’d hardly ever fight over the remote.

    Wow that is quite a surprise that Jim and Julie managed for your 30th. Pretty cool and all the better that you didn’t figure it out then.

    And where exactly is that one sock that always seems to go missing in the wash? The other day I was looking for my engagement ring…I could have used your awesome investigating skills then. (It eventually showed up again in my sock drawer. Don’t ask.)

  • Melisa

    Stacey: Uh yeah, sorry about that. It’s in my head, too!

    Melissa: I will begin looking for your health as soon as I get home from my class tonight. I’ll let you know if I find it! LOL And sadly, I think “WE” stands for Women’s Entertainment Television. It’s the same network that shows “Bridezillas”.

    Kat: I know! I have no idea about that sock, but if I find out I’ll definitely let you know. I won’t ask about your ring, but will instead be forced to come up with several theories on my own, all of which will be totally hilarious and only partly plausible. 🙂

  • Sarah Clapp

    I love those type of shows too. I love to get caught up in the emotion of people who have been searching for someone and against all odds, find each other. *tears*

  • Anonymous

    Sorry for this but the story here reminds me of the “Excited About Surprises Lady” on Saturday Night Live, but in a good way 🙂 Especially the part where you are talking about your reactions to watching the actual reunion moment. I couldnt help visualizing you jumping through a window or Japanese divider wall in excitement!

  • Melisa

    Sarah: What’s wrong with us? LOL

    Jim: Aww, you’re cute! I would TOTALLY jump through a–what are they called? Shoji screen? Well, maybe not. xoxo

  • Michelle

    Oh how fun! I would love for you to find some things for me first. But I need details on the surprise party before I can send you out on any missions 😉

  • The Locator

    Hey Melisa!
    This is Troy Dunn from “The Locator”. Thanks for the nice words about my show. It sounds like you would make an excellent addition to my team! LOL!
    And since we are out shooting season 2 right now, I’m gonna pitch the producers on the idea of a reunion between you and a sock!
    Congrats to your friends and fam for pulling off the surprise bday in your home- I can appreciate how difficult it can be to pull of big surprises!
    Please keep watching and spreading the good word about the show!
    (Nice Tiara too!)
    All the best to you,
    Troy
    aka
    “The Locator”
    http://www.wetv.com/thelocator

  • Melisa

    Michelle: Okay, okay…details coming.

    TROY!! OMG, you made my day. (You’re even searching for yourself, aren’t you??) I will definitely let you know if I ever find myself moving near your base in Florida and we’ll talk about where I’ll fit into your staff. 😉 And I can’t wait to hear what the producers think about my sock reunion show…on second thought, maybe you shouldn’t pitch it. I really like your show and wouldn’t want them to take you off the air all because of a sock. 🙂