i've been thinking about famous people i've had encounters with

and
what i found is
i don't have a file titled that way
i have met people
i know i have
but
i have to think back through the logs
who have i met

and
i remembered one i forgot

when i was working at the bookstop
karleen koen came in for a book signing
when she wrote through a glass darkly
that was, at the time
the largest advance anyone had received for a novel
no, not right
largest advance for a new novelist
and
maybe it went on the nyt bestseller list right away

it's not like i was sitting there with her
i'm sure i was ringing people up
but
maybe i got her set up
i'm just not sure now
but
when she was finished
i was there
and she said
my sister's name is elizabeth
and then she hung out with me
and told me what it was like
getting her book published
and i could have asked her questions
or
advice
or whatever
but
i just did what i mostly do
i let her tell me what she wanted to tell me
and asked facilitating questions
she was really really nice
and it was almost like we knew each other
but we didn't

and
i still haven't read any of her books

i should really have read at least that one, ya know
but
it just wasn't the kind of thing i read, i guess
and i was pretty young