Heinlein Fans here?

[The Wizard of BC]

I had just returned to Hawaii from my first tour in Viet-Nam and needed to spend some time with normal people so went to walk along Waikiki beach.

Sitting on the beach by himself was RAH. So I went over to a small kiosk nearby, bought two cups of coffee. I sat one down next to him and quietly sat down beside him. As I sat down I pulled out the worn and dogeared copy of TEFL that was in my back pocket and laid it between us. I didn't say anything, but sat there with him and watched the girls walk by for about a half hour.

After a while I got up, picked up my book, held it up and said to him, "Thank you for this".

He then said to me "Thank you for being quiet and not pestering me", pulled out a small notebook and wrote his home address and phone no. in it. He said that if I was ever in his neck of the woods we could share another cup of coffee.

About six months later I found myself in California on medical leave so called him up. He gave me directions to his house and I took a taxi out.
He invited me in and we sat in his kitchen drinking coffee and talking about the world, the military, and his writings.
It was one of the afternoons that will live forever in my memory.
As I was leaving he reached onto a bookshelf and pulled down a copy of SIASL. signed it and handed it to me.

That book is one of my most prized possesions. The memories of the man himself make the reading and re-reading of his works all that more special.
Much of who I am today comes from the eloquent way he put thoughts down on paper.

[Standard]

I had just returned to Hawaii from my first tour in Viet-Nam and needed to spend some time with normal people so went to walk along Waikiki beach.

Sitting on the beach by himself was RAH. So I went over to a small kiosk nearby, bought two cups of coffee. I sat one down next to him and quietly sat down beside him. As I sat down I pulled out the worn and dogeared copy of TEFL that was in my back pocket and laid it between us. I didn't say anything, but sat there with him and watched the girls walk by for about a half hour.

After a while I got up, picked up my book, held it up and said to him, "Thank you for this".

He then said to me "Thank you for being quiet and not pestering me", pulled out a small notebook and wrote his home address and phone no. in it. He said that if I was ever in his neck of the woods we could share another cup of coffee.

About six months later I found myself in California on medical leave so called him up. He gave me directions to his house and I took a taxi out.
He invited me in and we sat in his kitchen drinking coffee and talking about the world, the military, and his writings.
It was one of the afternoons that will live forever in my memory.
As I was leaving he reached onto a bookshelf and pulled down a copy of SIASL. signed it and handed it to me.

That book is one of my most prized possesions. The memories of the man himself make the reading and re-reading of his works all that more special.
Much of who I am today comes from the eloquent way he put thoughts down on paper.

What a great story Steve. I'm sure that RAH genuinely appriciated having company without the constant badgering about autographs, his next book, etc., etc. It's nice to know that you were able to take the time to know the man, and not just the myth. That is something that we should all strive for in our lives.