Once upon a time...

I remember watching The Fast & The Furious when it first hit theaters. I was 19, freshly graduated out of high school, ready to take on the world. As a young teenager growing up in Miami, an Asian-American for that matter, to see the world of tuned up import cars shown in the way that The Fast & The Furious film uniquely presented was both exciting and captivating beyond words. Little did I know, not too long after, I would be presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to audition for the sequel. This film, 2 Fast 2 Furious was set in Miami and further explored the exploits of Brian O' Connor (Paul Walker) as a skilled street racer with strong emphasis on doing the right thing but above all else, love and loyalty to those around him. This time around, these individuals included his old friends Roman Pearce (Tyrese) and Tej Parker (Ludacris). Working alongside Tej at his garage, was the "master mechanic" Jimmy. Whether it was freestyle rapping while losing at poker or giving detailed reports on the status of newly acquired rides, Jimmy enjoyed and cherished every second around his crew.

That was the movie. I wanna share about a real life experience.

I remember there was one night during filming, the producer, Neal Moritz invited some of the cast for a group dinner. I can close my eyes and see the image vividly. 20 year old me, sitting there with Paul, Tyrese, Luda, Eva, etc. To them, it may have been just another dinner, but for me it was a milestone moment. There were some GIANT stone crab legs on the table that night. I only recall because I normally tear up some stone crab legs, but that night I was so engulfed by the experience of being surrounded by such awesome individuals, I think I only ended up eating 2 or 3 shrimp cocktails. It was delicious.

Why the petition?

12 years ago, I pretty much struck the lotto and was able to be incorporated into not only one of the greatest film franchises ever, but one of the most amazing universes ever created, that is The Fast & The Furious universe. "Where's Jimmy?" is a question I've been asked over the years by hardcore fans with the release of every new Furious film. It is both encouraging and humbling, truly. However, I don't have the answer. What I do know is that to my part, I never truly made an effort to be included at any point. Now I have my eyes clear on what I want to go after and this is me taking the steering wheel into my own hands.

Some may say this is a silly or an unorthodox method of trying to get casted for a film. As I look back on my life journey so far, all of the highlights and achievements have been a direct result of what others may have deemed silly and/or unorthodox. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke...

Heck, even if you don't sign the petition, I'm grateful to know you've read my little sharing and it's been extremely rewarding just to relive these thoughts and memories.

Sincerely,

Jin aka Jimmy The Mechanic

twitter@iammcjin instagram@iammcjin facebook@iammcjin

email: jin@nofanzone.com

www.furious8bringbackjimmy.com

http://bit.ly/Furious8BringBackJimmy <-- Sign the petition here.