I forgot to mention two things from yesterday. First of all Karl, the musician, was actually a bit of a celebrity growing up. Or at least his dad was, and when you’re a kid, that usually means you are too, right? Have any of you heard of Baron von Rashcke the wrestler? That’s his dad. I love little things like that.

The second experience yesterday was a little bit bigger than that. Michelle and I were in the bookstore “Bound to be Read” on Grand Ave., one of the greatest streets to kill time, and I took my book of choice up to the register to pay for it. Sitting up on the counter was an autographed copy of Garrison Keillors “Love Me.” I was just about to pick it up when the bookseller asked me about Seattle (after looking at my ID and Bank Card). This distracted me so we started talking. By the time we were done with the transaction and pleasant small talk, Michelle pointed out the “Love Me” book.

To my utter disappointment, the next words out of the booksellers mouth were, “Oh yeah, he was just in here buying a gift for someone so he signed a few of those. You just missed him.” I thought maybe he meant earlier that day so Michelle and I said, “Oh man, that would have been great to have seen him,” to which the bookseller responded, “I mean, JUST here. As you walked up to the counter, he walked away.”

Argh. I can’t believe it. If I had picked up the book the moment I had seen it, maybe I could have met him. Everything would have played out differently and I would have a beautiful Minnesota moment to make Brenda proud.