The Missing Gem

18 | Dream

Lucas

The wide open rooms were a bit different than what I had expected when it had sunk in that I would be visiting the Pixar Animation Studios. Nonetheless, I still looked like a kid at a candy store.

The studios were in Emeryville, quite near San Francisco and so we were staying at Nicole's own place tonight instead of hitting the road back to Malibu for five hours at night. 

Daniel Miller, the man we learned was only three years older than me, was giving us a tour around the studios, letting us know where every thing was and not giving me a side look when I opened my mouth wide when we saw the award shelves with actual, Oscars. The golden statues that I only ever saw on TV, were now standing in front of me. 

He offered us coffee and cookies when we went to one of the break rooms, and I learned he also worked with the team who I was meeting up with after our tour. 

Nicole seemed to be as mesmerized by this whole thing as I was, and equally lost too. This was enormous. I had only ever went to Eurodisney, in Paris, with Lexi and Melanie last year and I thought that was massive, but this was even bigger. 

"So, as you probably have heard about before, we really value our mind and our creativity and sometimes, the best way to do that is to take a break from all the work we do here." With that being said, Daniel showed us around all the places they had for relaxation, and that included: a gym, a tennis court, a lap pool, snooker and ping pong tables, a BBQ area, and a couple of other places too. 

We visited four other rooms and after we ran into the actual, real size figures of The Incredibles and posed next to them for the pictures that Daniel gladly took of the two of us, we made our way to the place I was looking forward the most. 

The images on the walls almost had me in tears - good tears. Drawings of Remmy from Ratatuille, Nemo and Dory, the moody characters from Inside Out, Sulley and Mike, and the rainbow of colors from Coco filled the walls. 

This had to be the most colorful room I had ever been in. 

"This is where the magic happens... sort of. It's a team work here." Daniel explained as we walked us through the large room. 

Nicole rubbed my arm as she looked at me. My eyes met hers and I saw her big brown eyes look at mine with nothing but love and joy for me, and in this moment, I was sure I had never felt as good as I felt right now.

"Tell me something, Lucas. What was your favorite animated movie growing up?" 

I looked at Nicole again, almost asking her for help. This was a tough question for me, I liked so many of them. She just smiled at me while she shrugged her shoulders. 

"Uh, I'd say it was Toy Story probably. Re-watched that one at least a thousand times." 

"Come with me." The smirk on Daniel's lips indicated me he had something up his sleeve, and Nicole and I only followed him to another room. 

Even the small hallways were decorated. I was in heaven. 

After we got to a room that looked like an archive room (although it was also decorated with multiple colorful drawings of different characters), Daniel pulled out a brown box and handed it to me. 

"Take a look in there." 

I placed the box on a small table near by, and took off the lid, not fully prepared for what I was about to see. 

I ran my hand through the various pieces of paper and pulled a few out, looking at them in admiration, my mouth agape.

I truly felt like I could cry just looking at these.