Ray Bradbury has always held a special place in my heart. He got me started on Science Fiction when I was maybe 10-12- years old and I first read the "Martian Chronicles" and in all the years since, I've never missed a shot story, book, or article, or poem, he has written.

Several years ago, I went to hear Ray speak when he came to Clowes Hall on the Butler University campus in Indianapolis with Douglas Adams, also now deceased. I was struck by his appearence in a wheelchair as a result of a stroke. It rudely awakens you to your own mortality, as well as another's, when you see someone you've always admired and respected trapped in a now failing body.

It prompted me to write the first "fan letter" I'd ever written in my life. I told him what he meant to me, how much he had inspired me, and what I had overheard other members of the audience saying about him prior to his talk. I told him what I thought the world would some day come to owe him for the inspiration he had awakened in so many. I used titles of his books and stories to illustrate my points...and ended by telling him I reread "Dandelion Wine" every Summer, because it took me back to my own youth.

And my wife mailed the letter for me.

To my total shock, a few weeks later, I received a personal reply from Ray Bradbury. He thanked me "For your beauitful letter." He sent me a poster of a project "This old man is working on" - his movie, "A Sound Of Thunder." He also sent me his personal phone number and address.

I never called. I just couldn't bring myself to, and didn't feel right intruding on his time, and the suffering he was going through. Now I wish I had.

He also scribbled a note on a seperate card that said, "You sure know how to make an old man cry."

Well, Ray, now you've gone and done it. You've done the same to this old man.

Set sail for "Far Centauri". The journey may start at anytime, even "Long After Midnight." Perhaps someday we will meet there, and pour a glass of "Dandelion Wine", which is the best "Medicine For Melancholy" known.

I enjoyed your beautiful post. I thought you'd enjoy this video I shot of Ray when he came to my library dedication couple years back, as well as some of my own stories of meeting Ray and how he inspired me in person when I was eight and got me into the idea of making movies for a living, which I do.

After you check out this blog post you can go to the main page of the blog and see my own tale of how Ray touched my life in my post In Memoriam My Hero as well.

Thanks!

http://wakinguniverse.com/2012...ve-of-bradbury-wine/

I viewed the video of Ray at the library, and it brought back an even greater flood of memories from the time I heard him at Clowes Hall in Indianapolis. What always struck me whenever I've heard him talk -in person, or not- is he could be talking about the simplest, most every day things, and he put MAGIC into them. I hung on every word, even though some I'd heard before...but isn't that what Ray ALWAYS did?

And the ability to do that- why, THAT was the Eternal Child in him. A man who had dreamed of the stars has now risen to become one of them.

Thanks for the great video.