Sunday 4 August 2013

A Second Act


I’ve just received a letter that has touched me deeply & I’d like to share it with you.

It’s from a man who’s spent the last ten of his 29 years behind bars in a New Mexico prison.  After a troubled childhood & stints in juvenile detention, he was convicted of armed robbery & sentenced to fifteen years.

About two years ago, as a reward for good behavior, he was granted access to the Internet where he discovered “The  Saint” series & me.

He writes, modesty aside, that I became his “pinup”, a role-model for the woman he might one day meet & have a loving & lasting relationship with – something that he’s never had in his life.

Recently, he’s joined a creative writing programme at the prison, in the hope of becoming a professional TV writer, a goal he attributes to “The Saint” series & his respect for my work & what he has come to realize is the result of hard work & self-respect, something he’s lacked until now.

He ends the letter with a request for a signed photo of Sir Roger & me with the following dedication:  “There’s always a second act!”

I know I’ve said it before but it’s a constant source of wonder & gratification that the work Sir Roger, I & many others did those years ago still matters to fans the world over, & can even motivate a change in one’s future.  There is indeed, a second act in everyone’s life, & I’m happy that this man seems to have found his.  I wish him every success..

The orders for co-signed photos from our episodes in “The Saint” continue to grow.  And most amazing of all are the numbers of young people who’ve  discovered the series via the Internet.

All I can say is, “I’m blown away!”

Be happy in your life & work.

Annette

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