so today, walking crosstown on 34th street, people watching as i stomped along to my mp3 player i had one of those reminders of why i love new york so much. i was in a pretty good mood, since the doctor told me i wasn’t going to die and all.
sitting on a bench reading a paper on the corner of 34th and 6th, was a man who stopped my bopping dead – he looked remarkably like kurt vonnegut. now, being a major book nerd, i actually know what the man looks like. he was rather absorbed in his paper, and, if it really was the man, i knew that going up to him with fan glee was just going to get me barked at, or ignored.
i tried the witty approach:
me:pardon me sir, sorry to interrupt your reading, but i was curious if you believe in autographs?
kv:::clear throat:: ::irritated look:: no, i don’t sorry, i don’t believe in pens. makes autographs devilishly difficult
me: (pause for witty comeback, totally dead on feet) ) uh, good thing i have this pencil then.
kv:::chuckle:: son, do yourself a favor, go away before i have someone bigger than you bother you the way you are bothering me.
me: sorry mr. vonnegut
kv:i’m surprised you even recognized me, now git.
and i did.
how cool was your day?