Remember that time I met Kurt Vonnegut?

Remember that time I met Kurt Vonnegut?

I'll never forget the time Kurt Vonnegut was doing a radio show upstairs from the Starbucks my girlfriend at the time was working. (This was 1991 or '92 in Chicago and Starbucks were still pretty exotic.) Anyway, she mentioned I was a fan to his handler when they were getting some coffee, and when I showed up I was told Vonnegut would come down to meet me. So I sat and prepped and practiced my lines (because at the time Vonnegut was like a god to me) and when he finally showed up, he burst through the door and said, "Okay, who's the boyfriend that wants to meet me." Everyone froze and turned to look at me. I kind of mumbled, "I am." Vonnegut just looked at me and said, "That's it? No autograph or anything?"

And I just couldn't do anything other than shake my head no. I think maybe, maybe, I was able to pull myself together enough to shake his hand.

I've never been as starstruck by anyone since ...