I have many a tale to tell from behind our Spinal Column Radio microphones. In the past, I’ve told of groupies braving the rain to take in a show, and how we podcasted atop the nearly forgotten grave of Harvey Lillard — the once deaf janitor who holds a place in chiropractic history as its first patient.  But I’ve never shared how this legend in chiropractic was responsible for bringing us a fan.

OK, I’ll fess up, chiropractic’s premier patient really didn’t bring us a fan — he’s been six feet under just shy of 100 years now — but someone who could have easily passed as his stunt double did.

We were on the shores of Jersey, and Logan and I were once again podcasting on location at New Beginnings Chiropractic Weekend. It was  New Beginnings’ spring 2011 event, and we were very appreciative for the continued use of their quiet, 12 by 12 “studio.” From a podcasting acoustic perspective, this room was a near-perfect environment for conducting interviews, save that it was secluded and not very “fan friendly.” But our beloved janitor will change that in a moment.

I mentioned that the room we podcasted in was relatively quiet — which was true, as long as we shut down the ventilation system’s air conditioner. So while we sweated a bit in our hot and stagnant studio, our unseen audience was treated to the finest sound we could muster. This particular time, though, a backdraft of cigarette smoke was wafting in from an outside source and was pushing the limits of what we were willing to endure for the sake of “good audio.” So we put a call into the maintenance crew and proceeded to record the show in our hermetically sealed chamber.

And then it happened. We met our fan! Halfway through the first interview — “On Air” sign posted and tape rolling — the studio door swung open. And there standing in the doorway was our Harvey Lillard look-alike janitor … with a fan! Without even a gesture or acknowledgement that we were recording, with specific purpose he treaded right between our microphones and video camera, bent down, and plugged it in.

— Dr. Thomas R. Lamar is a chiropractor at Anchor Chiropractic in the Health Services Center. He hosts the Internet radio program SpinalColumnRadio.com. Listen to this “fan” encounter by tuning into episode 128.