Hey!!  Whas'sup??

This is your pal, Gabrielo, writing!  Hope y'all been good; me, I am hangin' in there, just chillin'!

Remember the last time I wrote when I said I was going to try out for "America's Got Talent"?  Well, I didn't make it.  Nerves got the better of me.  I was all stoked for it too; when I saw all those people, I about threw up, I was so nervous! 

Now a local kid did make it to the competition, but right when it counted, she choked, got booted off.  So now that's two locals who didn't make it.  GRRR!!

I watched the show; the ones I wanted ("Nuttin' But Strings", this duo who hip-hopped and played violins; they were cool) didn't win the grand prize.  Some yahoo who sang opera did; I don't do opera; it hurts my ears!  I was not happy!  ("Nuttin' But Strings" came in third, behind Neal Boyd, the winner, and Eli Mattson, who came in second.)

I was glad they voted off Kaitlyn Mayer.  She was this little four year old who sang; she wasn't anything special.  All she did was sing Disney type songs; once you've heard one four-year-old baby sing, you've pretty much heard them all, in my opinion.

After the show, we did go see "Illumatic Styles" here in Nashville; they are from Montreal, Canada, and they were tight, man!  I was blown away by Luca, "Lazylegz":  the guy has arthrogryposis, too, just like me, and dances on crutches!  He was awesome!!  I had a great time; after the show, I got to go backstage, meet the crew; I was in my element!!

Got my picture made with 'em, even got their autographs!  Oh, I was in the zone; it was a dream come true !

I even got to show the guys some of my moves; they were impressed.  Luca told me to keep practicing, keep dancing, don't ever give up on your dreams!  When I heard that I thought I was going to DIE!!  WOW!!

Isabella (she's mi hermana) was jealous; she didn't get to go backstage at the concert.  I felt bad for her; she enjoyed 'em too.  She still gets mad at me whenever I mention Lazylegz.  She says she should have been the one who got to meet 'em, not me!!

She sometimes tells me she wishes she were crippled like me (her words, not mine; I loathe that word!!); I tell her it isn't worth it. 

She should be happy that she has two good working legs and doesn't need any help in getting around.  I tell her crutches are a pain (and they are at times), and I wouldn't wish all the pain from therapy or surgeries on her; I don't think she could handle it.

She gets a hangnail or sees blood, and she freaks out.  You would think she was dying from the way she screams or carries on!!

Oh, Izzy's just a little kid; what does she know??

Workin' still on the weekends, at the gas/convenience store.  Last weekend, we nearly got robbed; I stopped the dude:  I hit him over the head with my crutches; knocked him smooth out.  He didn't awaken until the cops were on top of him, cuffin' him up.  He also had a pretty goose egg on his head.

And, I'm sure, a killer headache to go along with that goose egg!  :P

Ever since, I've been interviewed by the local news, even made it on the "Today Show".  All of a sudden, I'm being called a hero when all I was doing was trying to protect my place of employment.  There was a situation that was beyond my control, and I had to act on it.  Case closed.

I'm now known as "The 'Today Show' Kid" or "Hero-Boy".

I don't know if I am goin' to like all this attention; I'm not used to havin' cameras shoved in my face or microphones stuck to my mouth.  I'm just a regular kid who doesn't want sudden notoriety.

Well, the dang phone's ringin' again, so I'd best go now.  Besides, I've also ordered pizza; maybe that's them calling, to tell me how much it is, or to let me know that they're on the way.  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Gabe signin' off!  Peace out!

~Gabe Bustamente.