# You never know who's standing in front of you, I suppose. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453 "2003-09-04T02:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/1 "2003-09-04T02:56:32Z")
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. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/2 "2003-09-04T03:04:59Z")
Sorry, none the wiser. I had to squeeze past Magnus Magnusson (Mastermind) on the way into a bookshop (he was on the way out). ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/3 "2003-09-04T03:49:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Tortuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Tortuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tortuga)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/4 "2003-09-04T06:12:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andygirl \* > \*\*“Do you know who he is? That’s J. D. Salinger.” > > Yikes. 🆒 \*\* I would have crapped myself in awe. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/5 "2003-09-04T06:23:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > **Sorry, none the wiser.** Here’s more information about J.D. Salinger. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/6 "2003-09-04T08:16:04Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/7 "2003-09-04T09:57:26Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/8 "2003-09-04T10:12:21Z")
I would have run after him shouting “I love you! Please give interviews before you die!” ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/9 "2003-09-04T10:23:02Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/10 "2003-09-04T10:39:58Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/11 "2003-09-04T11:14:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tikki \* > \*\*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. \*\* _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 ---
**Author:** ![Mariemarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Mariemarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariemarie)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/12 "2003-09-04T11:31:17Z")
Thanks, **Flamsterette\_X** , for posting the link about J.D. Salinger–very interesting reading! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/13 "2003-09-04T11:47:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dijon Warlock \* > \*\*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… \*\* Did Willy Porter open for them? I saw them August 7. Mmmmm… Tull… ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/14 "2003-09-04T13:31:21Z")
Yamaguchi… those were those little electronic pets, right? _flee_ ---
**Author:** ![Moeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@Moeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moeman)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/15 "2003-09-04T13:53:02Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/16 "2003-09-04T19:04:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Francesca \* > \*\*I would have run after him shouting “I love you! Please give interviews before you die!” \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/17 "2003-09-04T19:30:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mariemarie \* > \*\*Thanks, **Flamsterette\_X** , for posting the link about J.D. Salinger–very interesting reading! \*\* Hey, no problem… thought I’d provide a little more information while I could. 😉 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OpalCat \* > \*\*Yamaguchi… those were those little electronic pets, right? > > _flee_ \*\* No, those were actually Tamagotchis. Close, though. 🙂 F\_X ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/18 "2003-09-04T19:39:10Z")
Whooooooooooooooooooooosh! ---
**Author:** ![Silly\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d26b3c/32.png) [@Silly\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silly_Dog)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/19 "2003-09-04T19:40:07Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Monkeypants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Monkeypants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkeypants)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453/20 "2003-09-04T20:07:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Odinoneeye \* > \*\*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. \*\* Don’t, uh, tell people this. 🆒 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-never-know-whos-standing-in-front-of-you-i-suppose/199453.md?page=2)