No, I was fortunate enough to meet her twice. Once at a book signing for The Glorious Impossible, a picture book about the Nativity, at beautiful, long-gone bookstore Brentano's and once at St. John the Divine in New York. Yesterday Governor Cuomo announced they are turning St. John the Divine into a field hospital and I at once thought of Madeleine L'Engle as it was her local church. I am sure she would understand the need.
Long ago when Mr. Rogers was visiting WGBH in Boston, my parents brought my sister and me to meet him. We were about 8 and 5, and my mother gave us a little nudge to walk, hand in hand, what seemed like a long way to meet him. When we got there, he smiled at us and asked our names. I told him, and he said, "Constance and Clare. What lovely names for two lovely girls!" I am not sure we kept up our end of the conversation but it was certainly memorable!
Many years later I was working at Penguin Books in New York, and one of the other divisions had done a book with him. I think it must have been Dear Mr. Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood? We were spoiled by many authors coming into the office but when word got around that Mr. Rogers was coming many people crowded into a conference room waiting for him to arrive. As he walked into the room with the publisher, we burst spontaneously into song, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood . . ." It probably happened to him a lot but he was so gifted at making his audience feel valued. I did not get a chance to speak to him that day but I figured I had a pretty cool memory from the first time so that was enough.
Well, my contact with Ric was fleeting but memorable. I had a Christmas job at Bloomingdale's at the Chestnut Hill Mall and was at a cash register when a man tried to buy a $1.99 roll of wrapping paper with a credit card. I had just told him I needed to check if there was a minimum payment required when my brother, coincidentally doing some shopping, appeared out of nowhere with a pen and asked for his autograph. I thought he was just being silly until I saw the name Ric Ocasek on the Amex! I let him buy the gift wrap.
That was a good example of a famous person I would not have recognized without assistance. When I lived in NYC, I rarely noticed the celebrities in the neighborhood while my roommate Jeanmarie saw them everywhere, particularly at the (remember?) Blockbuster.
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Madeleine L’Engle?
No, I was fortunate enough to meet her twice. Once at a book signing for The Glorious Impossible, a picture book about the Nativity, at beautiful, long-gone bookstore Brentano's and once at St. John the Divine in New York. Yesterday Governor Cuomo announced they are turning St. John the Divine into a field hospital and I at once thought of Madeleine L'Engle as it was her local church. I am sure she would understand the need.
Thanks for guessing!
I'm guessing Mr R
Long ago when Mr. Rogers was visiting WGBH in Boston, my parents brought my sister and me to meet him. We were about 8 and 5, and my mother gave us a little nudge to walk, hand in hand, what seemed like a long way to meet him. When we got there, he smiled at us and asked our names. I told him, and he said, "Constance and Clare. What lovely names for two lovely girls!" I am not sure we kept up our end of the conversation but it was certainly memorable!
Many years later I was working at Penguin Books in New York, and one of the other divisions had done a book with him. I think it must have been Dear Mr. Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood? We were spoiled by many authors coming into the office but when word got around that Mr. Rogers was coming many people crowded into a conference room waiting for him to arrive. As he walked into the room with the publisher, we burst spontaneously into song, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood . . ." It probably happened to him a lot but he was so gifted at making his audience feel valued. I did not get a chance to speak to him that day but I figured I had a pretty cool memory from the first time so that was enough.
Thanks for guessing!
I can't see you with Ric Ocasek!
Well, my contact with Ric was fleeting but memorable. I had a Christmas job at Bloomingdale's at the Chestnut Hill Mall and was at a cash register when a man tried to buy a $1.99 roll of wrapping paper with a credit card. I had just told him I needed to check if there was a minimum payment required when my brother, coincidentally doing some shopping, appeared out of nowhere with a pen and asked for his autograph. I thought he was just being silly until I saw the name Ric Ocasek on the Amex! I let him buy the gift wrap.
That was a good example of a famous person I would not have recognized without assistance. When I lived in NYC, I rarely noticed the celebrities in the neighborhood while my roommate Jeanmarie saw them everywhere, particularly at the (remember?) Blockbuster.
Thanks for guessing!
Cindy Jett gave the correct answer - Julie Andrews!
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