I work for a company that has a lot of movie industry bigwigs
popping in from time to time. My team leader at the time of this tale was Dave. He's a highly competent, hard working and friendly sort and so most of the VIPs would be directed to look over his shoulder as he demo'd our latest work.

Sitting next to him, I tended to keep my eyes on my screen and generally give the impression I was beavering away on some vital work, most of them were hollywood or UK movie exec types that no-one has heard of so it was no great loss.

On one such occasion I was looking busy as usual and not paying attention to the quietly spoken VIP with the soft english accent with a hint of mid-atlantic twang. The chat seemed to go on longer than usual and I got the vague impression the VIP was even asking a few relevent questions.

Eventually the small cluster of producers, VIPs and entourage thanked Dave and wandered off. At which point Dave leaned over to me and said "So have you heard of this Neil Gaiman chap then?"

And there, just leaving the room, was my favourite author and screenwriter, who, unbeknownst to me, had been standing next to me for the last twenty minutes.
( chenobble rocking his explorer beard on, Mon 12 Oct 2009, 16:59, 3 replies)

that's a missed opportunity
unlucky
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 12 Oct 2009, 17:07, closed)

He is a thoroughly lovely chap
although I've only met him at a signing, so he might have been putting the niceness on. I gave him my copy of The Wake to sign and he flipped to the inside cover to see a portrait of Morpheus that Dave McKean had doodled there for me, so he di9d his own portrait in the back flap. It is now officially the BEST BOOK EVAAAR
(Alphabet Soap boshboshboshbosh, Mon 12 Oct 2009, 17:19, closed)

Oh, sucks to be you :(
He's lovely and I love him.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Tue 13 Oct 2009, 2:15, closed)