Today I was buying packing tape for work at the local office supply. There was an old man and a woman in front of me buying things, and I stood behind them paying that vauge sort of attention that one does to people standing in front of you.
When they left, the owner of the store (who was doing cashier duty) pointed out the door and said, “Do you know who he is? That’s J. D. Salinger.”
Yikes. 
Sorry, none the wiser.
I had to squeeze past Magnus Magnusson (Mastermind) on the way into a bookshop (he was on the way out).
I came this close to walking into Melinda Gates at the amusment park I worked at. Bill was on the other side of her with their daughter on his shoulders. They’d been next door at the grand opening of our new IMAX theater, which they’d donated a bunch of money to, and decided to take their kid on the rides afterward.
I also stood right next to skater Scott Hamilton on an elevator in Reno. He was telling maybe Kurt Browning about going to dinner with Kristi Yamaguchi’s parents that night.
I would have crapped myself in awe.
I had Ian Anderson standing in front of me the other evening.
But then, I was at a Jethro Tull concert. He was standing in front of everybody…
My uncle was parked up in his car, and playing his “Jimmy Nail” album. A guy walks passed, turns round, smiles and gives him the thumbs up. The guy was Jimmy Nail.
I would have run after him shouting “I love you! Please give interviews before you die!”
Many years ago we were at the beach playing a Wierd Al Yankovick album when he jogged by. We turned it up and he turned and waved.
I was in a hobby shop once, and someone else was there chatting with the manager. After he left I found out that he was Robert Heinlein’s brother.
Weird Al Yankovic jogs?
Maybe Kurt Browning? It might have been the best male skater ever? And they’re chatting about Kristi Yamaguchi’s parents?
whimpers
twicks, a major skating fan
Thanks, Flamsterette_X, for posting the link about J.D. Salinger–very interesting reading!
Did Willy Porter open for them? I saw them August 7. Mmmmm… Tull…
Yamaguchi… those were those little electronic pets, right?
flee
I fixed Ugene Rodenberry’s (son not father) laptop. Ended up with his home e-mail and have chatted with him quite a few times since. Nice guy.
I was tempted to actually say something to him, but I realized that if I were a famous and reclusive author I’d probably want to not be harrassed by college students buying packing tape.
I’m still kind of in awe, though.
Also, JD Salinger likes pens. He has a space pen that can write upside down.
Hey, no problem… thought I’d provide a little more information while I could. 
No, those were actually Tamagotchis. Close, though. 
F_X
Whooooooooooooooooooooosh!
Andygirl – I’ve been in that store a bunch of times!
I worked at Dartmouth for 3 years. Evidently Salinger used to use the library there and some of the older librarians knew him. He visited frequently enough that they were rather non-chalant about it. “Oh, yea. I remember the time I helped J.D. Salinger use the copy machine…” He never came in during my stint there.
You’re so lucky!
Don’t, uh, tell people this.