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But now, a little time has passed. The tears that threaten when he crosses my mind are fewer and as I reflect on the time we shared I am enveloped in a flood of the memories. Yeah, all of the happy times come to me instead. Over the years - from meeting to meeting, occasion to occasion, event to event, convention to convention and coast to coast - I looked forward to my time with Wayne and Russi in the same way a bright-eyed 5-year-old on the �Nice� list waits for Christmas. Breathlessly and with the absolute certainty that Santa had left them their heart�s desire wrapped and waiting. That�s what knowing Wayne was for me, a gift. More fun than a hula hoop and lots safer than roller skates.

So many wonderful times - a passing moment, a quick hug, a smile and a �Hi ya Pal!�, an hour spent just laughing, or a day spent playing - all live in my heart. I first met Wayne at Videopolis during a media event at Disneyland in 1988, part of the celebration of Mickey�s 60th birthday I think, and was instantly smitten. We had 30 minutes scheduled for an interview and an hour or so later were still chatting. And, somewhere in my negative file - as I shot good old-fashioned film in those days - is a picture of the two of us with my main mouse. And somewhere in my collection is a Disney dollar that I asked him to sign. �Hi Ya Pal, Wayne Allwine & Mickey Mouse�

I�ll have dig through my boxes of treasure and find it.

It could have been just he and I deep in conversation while we wandered down a hallway headed for the next NFFC seminar. Or he and Ru and I sharing a leisurely chat in the Grand Canyon Concourse as they waited for an Official Disneyana Convention autograph session. Or a giggle in some media room at Disneyland waiting between radio spots at some event or another. Russi�s first ride on Soarin� Over California, all of us screaming with laughter, just like little kids. Or a gang of us sharing margaritas and munchies in the lounge of the Napa Rose. I still giggle when I remember the race we all had to get to our credit cards first to get the tab and getting �the LOOK� from Russi - taught me right then and there that I never wanted to be on the receiving end of �the LOOK� ever again.

Needless to say, we �let� her win as Wayne just sat back and smiled. Oh, the laughter. There are so many memories.

Through the years when we�d run into each other at either an NFFC, ODC or WDAC event, when he was on stage - and most especially if Russi were sitting beside him - the energy was always there. The sparkle. The smile. Always fun. Always entertaining. Often profound. Always illuminating. Always memorable. I love a great story and Wayne could spin a tale with the very best of them. It was great fun to have a serious conversation with Wayne, and it happened often. We talked and listened, learned and taught - but we always - always - laughed. A lot.

He was a very bright guy and he could answer just about any question from just about anyone on just about anything. I guess that particular talent was honed from the thousands of interviews that he did - both as himself and his animated counter-part. And he had a phenomenal memory when it came to the history of the Walt Disney Company, after all he had been there for a good deal of it. From the mail room to the main Mouse - WOW! What a career.

Wayne was quite serious when it came to the direction he felt that the company was going with �the Mouse�, especially lately. Oh yeah, he had definite opinions. He worried that Mickey was in danger of becoming too �hip�, too �contemporary�, that some of the necessary honesty and innocence was being stripped away in an attempt to make him relevant to an audience the company was afraid were outgrowing him. I remember a couple of conversations about Mickey�s �age� - was he a kid or was he an adult? I came to the conclusion that Mickey is whatever age you need him to be at whatever place in your life you happen to be, and that makes him timeless.

I remember a couple serious conversations about his life with the mouse, and he explained that �being� Mickey is both a gift and a curse. At the same time, the most demanding of vocations and the most remarkable of opportunities. Mickey gave Wayne the chance of a lifetime and Wayne gave Mickey a soul and a conscience. Wayne was able to tap into something inside himself to bring Mickey to life and the continued legacy of this one simple character is all the richer for it. He knew what he would and wouldn�t do, would and wouldn�t say. He carefully fostered, gently nurtured and fiercely protected Mickey and Mickey�s legacy. I hope the new guy does too. He knew where the voice began, and he knew the importance of keeping it safe.

He once told me that Mickey was a uniquely �living legacy� that �Mickey is Walt�. Wayne understood the difficulties of �being� Mickey. Wayne knew the responsibilities entailed in �being� Mickey. Wayne knew the joys of �being� Mickey. But, most importantly, he knew that Mickey was his only temporarily, that there would be a �Mickey IV� one day. I�m almost relieved that Mickey wasn�t given to someone else while Wayne was still here - that Wayne �gave� him up instead.

There will be another �official voice� for my main mouse. Yeah, I�m a Mickey girl - despite what Wayne jokingly called my �passing infatuation� with a little blue alien. But it won�t be the same. It can�t be the same. Just at Jimmy wasn�t Walt, this new voice won�t �be� Wayne. Wayne brought so much of himself to his performance. Mickey wasn�t just a �gig�. Wayne understood that Mickey is quintessentially America. He�s the very best of each and every one of us packed into an endlessly optimistic little everyman mouse in short pants.

Through my time with Wayne and Ru - and any of the other members of the Disney Character Voices family that I�ve come to know - I know that voice actors are actors, in every sense of the word. The stagecraft may be a bit different, but the skills required to bring any character - be they animated or live-action - fully to life are the same. Wayne was a great actor. He had a page and a voice and brought an American icon to life for generations. He �was� Mickey for more than 30 years - more than half of his own lifetime. I�d dare say that no other actor will have the signature role of his lifetime - or our lifetimes for that matter - for nearly that long.

Little bits and pieces of Wayne - and Russi - are scattered all over my heart. Embedded in my life. Part of who I am. And I�m profoundly grateful for their friendship and for the lessons they�ve taught. Make friends. Be grateful for the small things. Laugh at least once a day. Love someone who loves you too. Work hard. Play harder. Leave memories. Share your time. Make time. Leave something of yourself behind. Contribute. Give back. Find your place. Use your gifts. Give as good as you get. Participate. Share. Share. Share.

Oh yeah - SHARE!

And so, in memory of my friend Wayne, let me share a wonderful day spent with he and Russi and a room full of NFFC members and very special guests - Saturday, July 19, 2003. This is - for the most part - the article I wrote covering their induction ceremony for the NFFC�s Disney Legend Award for the FantasyLine Express .

Yup, the NFFC knew that they were legendary 5 years before the Walt Disney Company did. It�s a day that will live in the memories of all who were there. It was quintessentially Wayne & Ru - laughter, stories, memories, tears and the ukulele. We had a ball.

And so, for those who were not able to be in the ballroom on this amazing day - I�ve edited it a bit - but not too much �

I love ya Miss Ru, and I�ll See Ya Pal!

Enjoy,

Kim