In my senior year at Carson High School in Carson CA Mr. Bradbury came to visit. He spoke to a few classes in our auditorium. Before the lecture started I had the pleasure of being introduced to Mr. Bradbury. It was quite an honor and I'll always keep that memory in a special place.

I first met Ray at his office.
I knocked, and he madly swung the door open and told me to come on in and have a seat, 'cause he was on the phone. That was way back in 1970. He took me to lunch at a little outdoor restaurant down the street from his office, on Wilshire Boulevard. He ordered a hamburger, and I said..."the same", because I couldn't think of anything else. After the lunch,and we said our farewells, I recal, vividly, realizing that my entire life had been going in the wrong direction, and I had to change everything. Thus was a start of a incredible journey.

I'm jealous of Mr. Kordell's encounter and lunch with Mr. Bradbury. I was inspired by his books. I read Farenheit 451 and suddenly realized that ideas mattered. This was in 9th grade, and my life has never been the same since. I was a total non-reader before that, and am a prolific reader now with Masters Degrees in English and in Philosophy. Those degrees were direct outgrowths of Bradbury introducing me to the idea that ideas mattered.

I subsequently attended a lecture he gave, but didn't meet him personally. The lecture was great. I later met him when they came out with the large collection of his stories. I bought it and went to a book signing. I got there early, bought the book, and wandered around the store. He approached me from behind and asked if I'd like him to sign it early so I wouldn't have to wait around. It was a truly spiritual event for me. He had changed my life. I had been born again through his writing. I was so awe-struck I could only stammer out a thank you. I wish I had had the presence of mind to tell him how much his writing has meant to me.

You all are so lucky!!! I've never even come close to meeting him!! I think I'd probably be speechless...