My whole addiction with DQMW, and Lady Jane herself began at the tender age of three. Yes I know, you’re all saying a three year old cannot possibly understand Dr. Quinn, but I did… but I was not your typical child either. Let’s not even get into that one!
Of course on the other hand maybe I was brainwashed by the handsome Byron Sully… highly plausible too.
Anyways, in all seriousness, I was three when I started watching DQMW. It started with my Paternal Grandfather, whom I called Paw-Paw. It was New Years 1993. I was a Paw Paw's girl almost from the moment I was born; as you can see from a few of the pictures below.
My whole “ordeal” began on October the 16th 2003... Which, though it was a while ago… I can remember everything exactly. I guess that’s what happens when you meet someone you’ve been admiring almost practically your entire life, but in order to understand just why I needed to meet Jane we have to go back a few years in my life.
My parents were giving a party, and they sent me to Grandma and Paw-Paw’s house, which they did every Saturday, but this week I was upset because I’d wanted to stay for the party. Grandma and Paw-Paw and I would make a night ritual of watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, then me getting my bath and read a bedtime story by one of them and then going to bed. That Saturday night no such thing happened. In fact Paw-Paw left on CBS after Jeopardy, and didn’t move me off his lap. He let me stay up to see the Pilot even though it was hours past my bedtime, and I was surely the most tired little girl on the planet. From that very night the both of us were hooked. Usually he had to explain some things to me, but he always did, and I almost always understood. After that Saturday nights with Grandma and Paw-Paw were very important to me, and I never missed a single one. From the Pilot all the way through Ready or Not…The Saturday evenings together helped me find a way to get close to my Grandpa, and since my maternal Grandfather was already dead, and your relationship with parents is never quite the same as with Grandparents, DQMW, and it’s cast provided me with a blessing I didn’t realize until years after.
We watched the episode together alone, because Mom and Dad and Grandma went out to eat to leave us alone. Probably a very good thing as I can only imagine how Grandma might have reacted to the Darker and Darker scene in the end.
After we had watched the episode Paw-Paw said to me, “Beck, you have to promise you’ll never give up on Dr. Quinn, no matter how old you get, and that you’ll meet her for me, and tell me if she’s really as beautiful and nice as she seems, because if you didn‘t I couldn‘t go anywhere.”
“Why do I have to promise that…? And you’re not going anywhere Paw-Paw, you’re staying here with us.” and I remember a whispered,
“I only wish it was true.” Nevertheless I promised.
By the next morning Grandpa died. I’m convinced he hung on just to see that episode with me. Unfortunately, after Paw-Paw died our family lost the “DQMW legacy” we stopped watching it completely. We didn’t forget… We just stopped. It was easier for all of us. None of us forgot… except me. That’s the problem with being the youngest and only child in the family.
It wasn’t until I was having a very bad 6th grade school year that I re-discovered DQMW on Hallmark. We were getting a free preview for Christmas time. I turned it on halfway through the episode Portraits. The only thing I could remember was the name Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and the very few episodes I’d watched later, either with friends or other relatives, most prevalently Comfort of Friends and To Have and To Hold, but when I started watching it I began to remember.
By the end of the first week I was hopelessly addicted, and had all my memories of the show back. That started my incessant search to meet Jane Seymour. After all, I promised.
You know when you have one of those red letter days that changes things completely? How you can remember everything about that day even years later. October 16th 2003 was one of those for me.
“SORRY!” I exclaimed. I picked up one of my yellow men and put it where Nancy’s had been. She gave a sad look.
“Will I EVER win one of these?” She asked.
“Doubtful.”
“That’s what I thought.” Nancy said, ruefully.
It was a Thursday, and Nancy (our housekeeper) and I were playing SORRY! I was in the living room after a long and rather boring day at school, when my Dad got home from work. He came into the room and said, “What if I could tell you something, but not answer any questions.” That aroused my curiosity.
“What kind of something?”
“Quinny is coming to Chicago.” Dad doesn’t particularly like DQMW so he calls either the show or Jane “Quinny”
I watched him for signs of a joke. Nope, he was being serious. Of course I didn’t listen one bit to his “I can’t answer any questions.” I immediately jumped up from the table, SORRY was forgotten.
“You have to take me!”
“Bring me the grades.” Was Dad’s reply, I’m a straight A student. At the time I had just begun 7th grade and my 13th birthday was barely 3 weeks away. If I get good grades I’m usually allowed a special treat that involves missing a day of school. I really dislike school. I like learning, but I hate school. Hopefully that makes since. He didn’t have to worry; I’d bring him the grades!
Well that night I didn’t go with my Mom and Dad out to eat, instead I stayed home and scoured Friends of Jane for information on when Jane was coming to Chicago.
“Private gala reception with Jane at Carson Pirie Scott on State Street in Chicago Illinois. October 24, Call for details.” I almost choked. That was what the information column read. That was exactly 8 days. Of course I was settling only for the best! I wanted to go to that private gala. Probably more than I had wanted anything for a long time.
The next afternoon Dad was waiting for me instead of Nancy. That’s because it was a Thursday on Thursdays Ronny, Nancy’s husband, went to get Chemo. He had cancer, then. (Now he’s in remission) Usually Nancy had to go with him.
“Let’s see that grade card.” Dad said. “I won’t believe that A in math until I see it.” I really struggle in math. I can’t pick up on the concepts very well or very fast. And it’s with a lot of work I make my A’s in that class. I got out the report card and handed it to him. Just as I’d promised all A’s.
“I think this means you owe me a trip to Chicago.” I told him. Well that night I didn’t go with my Mom and Dad out to eat, instead I stayed home and scoured Friends of Jane for information on when Jane was coming to Chicago.
“Private gala reception with Jane at Carson Pirie Scott on State Street in Chicago Illinois. October 24, Call for details.” I almost choked. That was what the information column read. That was exactly 6 days. Of course I was settling only for the best! I wanted to go to that private gala. Probably more than I had wanted anything for a long time.
I couldn’t wait to tell someone that I might get to go see Jane Seymour. I wasn’t going to have a lot of chances because since it was a busy night, Dad was going to play bridge with a friend, as he always does on Thursdays, and at the time Mom and I were having practices for our church’s Christmas play on Thursday evenings. So I told my Mom. She wasn’t very enthusiastic. “Beck you’ll never get tickets to a private gala! Even if you did you’d never get within 50 feet of Jane.” That was what she thought. I was determined
Friday after school, Nancy watched the proceedings as Dad called number after number trying to find out how to get in contact with Carson Pirie Scott, because we didn’t have a Chicago phone book. Finally he got in touch with them. They said he needed to talk with someone from the home wares department. When she didn’t answer Dad left her a message. And we had to wait over the weekend! That was a pain. I was on pins and needles all weekend hoping she’d be in and call us.
Monday rolled around and I had almost given up on that lady calling us. I went to school and I was pretty down in the mouth. I’m not popular. I have several friends but only a few close ones. Kelsey, Kalen, and Katie were all gathered around me at the lunch table listening to the my “non-returned phone call” trouble.
That night we had the first meeting of our yearbook staff, of which I’d been elected president. We ended up having to drive a friend home which was 15 minutes out of our way. When we finally we headed home Dad said,
“Aren’t you going to ask?” He meant about Jane like I’d been doing for the past 4 days. I shrugged. Just then I realized if something hadn’t happened he wouldn’t have brought it up.
“SHE CALLED!?”
“Yes we have tickets to Jane’s gala Friday night.”
“EEEEK! We’re going we’re really going!”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Oh my! I only have 4 days!” I paint portraits so I considered trying to do a portrait in a hurry for Jane. If I work hard I can do one in 3 days. I vetoed that. I had to give her a better gift. She had certainly had given me a huge gift. A way to get closer to my Grandpa before I lost him. Well, I wracked my brain. So much to think of! So much to do before I was ready to meet the best actress of all time! And along with Celine Dion she is my complete idol, but I was really going.
Sometime that evening I remembered that I had started a book once. It wasn’t done yet. It was about as close as you get to fan fiction without it being fan fiction. At that time I didn’t even know what fan fiction was I hadn’t stumbled onto it yet. It was the first season of Dr. Quinn revised into a diary in Michaela’s point of view. Telling how she thought and with some extra scenes. I only needed to do a couple more episodes and it would close the first season. I could give that to Jane! I started work in earnest to finish by Friday. Just then I stopped. Was I really brave enough to let the star of the show read my writing? What if she hated it, or I had something messed up. Oh well, if I didn’t I’d be kicking myself for the rest of my life. I recalled the poster on my math teacher’s classroom wall, “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
On Wednesday evening Dad, Mom, and I went to Burlington Coat Factory in Terre Haute, Indiana to shop. That’s the biggest town near us. Only half an hour to it. It’s right across the border of Indiana. The lady Dad talked too had said it would be formal. Formal? Help! What do I know about formal? Well, I ended up looking very “Dr. Quinn” style, yet classy. The perfect outfit. A past the knee length tan skirt, a burgundy sweater and a beautiful tan leather jacket, and a pair of tan leather dress boots. (That shopping expedition hurt my purse!)
When I got home I worked extra hard on my story. 2 more days! I didn’t get in finished that night. What would I do? The next night, Thursday, I’d be so busy I wouldn’t have time. Luckily Dad agreed I could stay home Thursday afternoon and finish the story.
On Thursday I worked like mad and finished the story. I breathed a sigh of relief as I printed it out. I still had more to do, though. I had to try to get a hair appointment for the next morning, early. That wouldn’t be easy. Friday is the busiest day at the hair salon. Then we had to get on the road for the four hour drive to Chicago. We might have an hour or so to look around before having to get ready for the gala. We intended to change into our dress clothes in a bathroom so we wouldn’t need to drive up to Chicago in them. I packed my make up in a little bag and made a cover for my story and stuck it in the bag with my other items. Remarkable Changes, a book Jane wrote, and my DQMW t-shirt, which I’d gotten with my purchase of the first season DVD’s. I wanted her to autograph them.
Thursday night I hardly slept. I kept thinking about what I’d say to Jane and how it would be to stand in the very same room with her for 3 hours and be able to talk to her and to take a picture with her… And yeah… I was going just a little, as my friends said, “loopy.”
The week between Ready or Not and For Better or for Worse, Paw-Paw had a serious heart attack. They put him in the hospital in the ICU. I was six. I didn’t comprehend until Saturday afternoon that with him being in the hospital we weren’t going to get to see DQMW together, and this was the episode we’d been waiting for over three years! Well, when I figured that out I rose holy heck to go to the hospital so Grandpa and I could watch the wedding together. Yeah I know, I sound like a little brat, but it really wasn’t like that it was more, well I had never spent more then two days without my Grandparents and now that we might miss our Saturday night tradition for the very first time, not to mention that it was the most important episode was just the end of my short six year old rope. Well, I begged and begged and the hospital agreed I could come. Paw-Paw seemed to be on the mend, and two hours of something he liked doing would cheer him, they said.
I was up at an unheard of hour called 6 am! I had managed to get a hair appointment for someone to French braid my hair. I needed to have it washed, though, since they were squeezing me in. By 9 a.m. Dad had taken me to the beauty shop. He went to run errands that we had to do before leaving town.
Finally in what seemed like forever we were ready to leave. That was about 11. All the way up in the car I listened to Celine Dion, and worried and got even more excited. I could barely believe that I had merely hours. The road trip to Chicago had NEVER seemed so long! We stopped at Kankakee, Illinois for lunch at a McDonalds. We were an hour away from Chicago. After lunch, we got out the map to find State Street directions and turned on WGN 720 (the Chicago radio and television station.) Surprise! Jane was giving an interview! She was talking about pretty much everything, her four fashion dolls, This’n N That’n clothing line, Crossing Pointe, Cat Fish productions, and St. Catherine’s Court home wares with Parisian. We got to the heart of Chicago and became part of a “portable parking lot.” (Traffic jam) We found State Street. There was Carson Pirie Scott. It stretched nearly the length of the block and was 6 stories high. What a humongous department store! We had to find a parking garage to park in, though easier said then done! We drove around for almost 15 minutes trying to find one, and got ourselves lost only a couple of times. It was only about a miles walk to the store from the car, but I was freezing. I’d gone off without my sweatshirt, and I knew why they called Chicago “The Windy City”, and I sure didn’t think it had to do with politics so the story goes.
Dad got out the video camera in front of Carson Pirie Scott to get a little footage. “Here we are in front of Carson Pirie Scott; it is October 24, 2003. In a few hours we are going to meet Jane Seymour. Now back to you Dad.” I said pretending to be a newscaster. He shut off the camera and hung it around his neck with his regular one and zipped his jacket over it. We weren’t supposed to have cameras in there before that night for some strange reason. So Dad had to hide it.
We started out looking for lockers to put our dress clothes in. We still had 2 hours before the gala started. They said lockers were on the 6th floor in the Home department by the restrooms.
Well, I don’t have to say that was where Jane was supposed to be. Dad and I kept thinking every long haired woman we saw was going to be Jane. Of course they weren’t, but it sure seemed that way, especially when more then once we got ourselves lost in the giant store that reminded me more of a mall.
Finally we found lockers in the children’s department by the restrooms. I laughed when I saw painted on the floor was a painted picture of Jane’s cat characters, This’n N That’n.
We walked around for a while. It was the kind of place you could walk for a day and never see the same store twice. Then we found this place on the 6th floor that has a big area curtained off with black velvet curtains. You couldn’t have seen in except there was an opening for people to go in and out. Inside were easels which held paintings I recognized as Jane’s. There were also exhibits sets put up with Jane’s home wares designs. Like beds with her bedspreads and such. Little tables set all over the place with various items. It was all stuff pertaining to Jane. This’n N That’n books, her fashion dolls, tea sets, calendars… You name it they had it. In the front was a little platform and a big screen picture of St. Catherines Court. “I don’t think that we’re supposed to be in here.” I told Dad. “We’ll get in trouble!” So we left the “gala area”.
We had about an hour left before the gala started so I decided we had better go get ready. We found bathrooms. I put on my outfit and my makeup. I checked my hair. I looked in my small Carson Pirie Scott sack. Everything was there. I was ready. Or was I?
I walked out to meet Dad. The boots hurt. They had a really high heal forcing me to put weight on the middle part of my foot and my toes instead of my heel where it should be. OUCH! Oh well pain for beauty. I wondered if Jane ever thought that.
We decided to go get in line to get checked in for the gala half an hour early and maybe we wouldn’t have to wait long. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who had that idea. There were about ten people ahead of us.
“I bet they introduce her.” I doubted it. I figured she’d be in the crowd until then if that was going to happen. Jane didn’t seem the kind of person who’d be hiding back stage. She’d want to be out with her fans. Just then someone backed right into me. The person and I both turned around, apologizing, and exclaiming that it was awfully close quarters over here by the art work display. I turned around and was shocked.
There stood Jane Seymour!
I smiled and she smiled back. If there was ever a time in my life I actually shut-up it would have been then. She was beautiful (as always) in a black suit dress embroidered with flowers. Her hair was down too. It was even longer than it had been on Dr. Quinn. I think she realized I was, as her alter ego in Fanny Kemble said, “One of those moon-faced admirers.” Luckily I recovered myself quickly.
I walked around waiting for everyone to talk to Jane so I would be able to, and not feel so very rushed. Everyone was in a hurry to see Jane. I waited, some more. I would have my chance. It would be better when the crowd died down a little. The gala lasted 3 hours, after all. In about an hour she got up to speak. She talked for nearly 20 minutes. I could have listened forever. You don’t hear her talk in her English accent on T.V. So that was quite a treat. She spoke of Touching Wild Horses. She had just finished filming it. She talked about Diseases of the Wind, and some upcoming projects. She spoke of her art and her clothing line as well as her Parisian Homewares Line. After this a few of the people drifted off to go home.
I went up to Jane when she seemed to have a moment “alone.”
“Hi there.” I said. I tried to be as normal as possible. I pretended that she was my mom, instead of a famous celebrity, that I’d been waiting for years to meet.
“Hello, I’m Jane. And you are?”
“Rebekah, but you can call me Beck.” I told her.
“How old are you?” She asked. (I was the youngest one there.)
“I’ll be 13 in 3 weeks. November 15th.”
“That’s not very far from the twins’ birthday.” She remarked smiling.
“How are they?”
“Pretty good.” We got started talking about Dr. Quinn.
“How do you spell your name?” She asked suddenly. I told her.
“How come?”
“Oh… Just something about Dr. Quinn is all. Big fan?”
“Yes, very! You mean your oldest sister Rebecca.”
“Yes.” I couldn’t have her thinking I was just another “huge fan” I had to let her know there was a reason why. That this was different. So I told her about my Paw Paw.
“I think Sully might want to borrow your jacket, not to mention myself.” She said, laughing the perfect laugh. Soft, and not crazy, but obviously a true laugh.
“I think he might have difficulties fitting in it. He might faint at the price before he could wear it. I about did.” I said. We both got started laughing. One thing led to another and then Jane asked if she could try the jacket on. I was absolutely floored, said, “Of course.” Off came the jacket and she turned around and pulled it on. It fit!
“What do you think?” Jane was asking me what I thought!
“It’s lovely.” I whispered honestly. She took the jacket off, and I put it back on, but I have to tell you… It never did feel quite the same again!
“Ahem” we heard. It was the employees of Parisian. They were disgusted because Jane and I seemed to be “getting on” too well, I sure did agree with the fan that nick named them, “Parisian Heifers” We ignored them.
“Well, I should have left the shoes at home.” I showed her my boots.
“Ouch, those look like they hurt.”
“Think there are any potted plants around here. I’ll get rid of them.” We giggled again, more quietly. I had brought an envelope of stuff for her along with the story. Pictures of portraits I’d done, pictures of my mom and my dog, Snowball.
“These are amazing!” She said about the portraits. I could die happy Jane Seymour likes my artwork! I kept my cool.
“Thanks a lot! So are yours.”
“Thanks, some of these are copies of the real things.” Oh that explained why some sold for 10,000 dollars and some sold for 100.
“I have a present I made for you.” I pulled out the book. I explained what it was.
“This must have taken forever I can see it’s very detailed. Thank you. Is there a tiny bit I could read?” I was floored and showed her the entry I’d written about Dr. Mike’s feelings after her first kiss with Sully. She read that.
“All I can say is this is wonderful work, you see Dr. Mike inside her heart. Make sure you keep writing! Thank you!”
“You’re very welcome. It did take a few months, but I just finished it this week.” She handed the book to her security guard.
“Will you hold onto this until later?” He nodded and took the book. I was in seventh Heaven by now. Just then a staff member came up and offered Jane a glass of wine. She took it. Then he offered me one. I tried not to laugh and took it.
“Just how old does he think I am?” I whispered to Jane.
"Well, you do look older than almost thirteen."
“Let’s see if it tastes as awful as everyone tells me.” I whispered and took a drink. I think it’s safe to say it felt like my head was exploding from the taste. I swallowed it. It was disgusting. Jane winked and whispered,
“Potent stuff huh!” I nodded. I set the glass away. No more of that!
“Would you autograph my book and shirt?” I asked her. Before she could reply the Parisian guy that was being a pain stepped up and said,
“Ms. Seymour will not be autographing unless you buy the item here.”
“I think we can make an exception.” She said coolly. I could tell she was ticked with him. He’d been after her all night about signing autographs and she’d ignored him. She took my shirt and attempted to sign it. The fabric was loose and made it difficult to autograph.
“Here I’ll stretch it on the table and then you can sign it.”
“Ok.”
"This looks like the shirt that came with the first season DVDs."
"It is. I have the first season and I hope to save enough to eventually buy them all. Hm, maybe you could talk my parents into raising my allowence." At that we both began to giggle.
I stretched the shirt out. Just then someone backed into me and the shirt just about flew out of my grip. I could see Jane was trying not to burst out laughing because of the shocked look on my face. We were having an interesting night, but it was about to get even more interesting, in a VERY embarrassing way. After that I got the book for her to sign.
“This shouldn’t cause any disasters.” I told her. She signed the book, “To Rebekah, with love, Jane Seymour”
We purchased a locker and went back downstairs to get our clothes. I suggested we ought to get a big shopping bag to put our stuff in. There were machines that gave out bags when you put money in. I guess they didn’t want you to take too many. So much for the good old honor system. Dad put a dollar in the machine instead of quarters and stopped it up. I wonder if anyone’s ever used that machine since. Well, we were able to get a free bag from the main floor information desk and went back to get our clothes from the car.
We were standing there talking about the dolls, and about our families, when Dad came up to tape the rest of the conversation. He set his stuff down on the table with Jane’s champagne… The table was little and it wasn’t very sturdy. I looked over just in time to see the table tip. Jane’s champagne flew through the air. It seemed like slow motion.
“Watch out.” I exclaimed. I could see she wasn’t going to react fast enough. I put both my hands around her waist and pulled her out of the way. She was light as a feather and my two hands just lacked an inch or so of being able to surround her waist completely! She was slightly taller then me. That made for an ungainly movement.
“WHOA!” Jane cried. I could see she hadn’t expected that one. “What was that for?” At that second the champagne glass hit the floor right by our feet and shattered. Spritzing us with the mist. OOPS! I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me! I was very embarrassed. What a disaster! Dad made a quick exit apologizing about the mess. “Thanks for getting me out of the way.” Jane said and gave me a dazzling and from the heart smile. As soon as Dad was gone, Jane turned and covered her face so no one would see just how hard she was laughing. I grinned, and couldn’t help but give an embarrassed laugh with her. When no one was looking I reached down and grabbed the largest uncracked piece of glass, and stuck it in my pocket.
Not long after, we posed for my Dad to take some pictures. The one I liked best was the one where we were each standing with an arm around the other. It is the one at the top of this story. I couldn’t resist, while we were posing I touched her hair. It was silky soft. The hair goddess! I wish I had hair like that! I think it smelled pretty good too. That or else it was her perfume.
I was incredibly grateful for so few people being there enabling me to spend so much time around Jane. Other people came up and talked to Jane. And I walked around, treasuring being there, and looking at her paintings and trinkets. And just watching her. She is the essence of what a lady, mother, actress, author, fashion designer, and much more should be like.
About half an hour before the end of the gala Dad said we should go or we were going to get in a huge "Portable Parking Lot," (his name for a traffic jam,) on State Street. I agreed. I said good bye to Jane.
"Thank you, for coming." She smiled, and we held hands for a moment.
"Maybe I'll see you again someday."
"I hope so,.. with out.. the champagne!." We shared a last giggle.
Finally, we went back to the bathrooms and changed clothes. “Did you see that Paw Paw? I met her for you. She's just as wonderful as on television, more so!” I whispered.
We got home about 2 in the morning, but I was so happy I didn’t care. Now I have all the memories. I have a picture frame with a glass cover hanging on my wall. Inside is the Dr. Quinn T-shirt, (I had her sign it on the front under the logo so you can see them both.) The collectible St. Catherine’s Court book we got (a fancy green leather notebook with St. Catherines inscribed on the front. That we got at the gala) and the picture of us together.
After that I bought one of her dolls and she signed it also. I know it seems we talked for like all the gala, but truthfully it was only about 15 or 20 minutes.