The Morning I Spent Waiting For Garrison Keillor

At 11 o'clock this morning, Keillor was scheduled to be at his bookstore in St Paul signing copies of his new book, 'Liberty', or whatever books people brought in to be signed. Situated above his bookstore is Nina's Coffee Cafe, and I got there early because I knew there'd be a line. As it was, Keillor didn't show until almost Noon.

The bookstore opens at 10 am and I went down to buy a copy of 'Liberty' (I'd also brought two others, but that was the main one I wanted signed). By quarter-to-eleven there were a dozen people already in line so I joined up to wait. And wait we did. At 11:15 a woman, I assume a bookstore employee, said Keillor "got held up at the office." At 11:40, mini bottles of water were handed out and that same woman said, "He's working with a new production staff (for his 'The Writer's Almanac' broadcast) but he's on his way." At 11:50, free hot-dogs made the rounds. "He should be here any minute." she said.

Then from behind me I heard, "Garrison Keillor." Someone in front of me looked back and said, "There he is." Finally.

Earlier, the woman/employee handed out sticky-notes to the crowd and said, "To save time, you should write down how you want Garrison to sign your book." Because I am an aspiring writer, and Keillor is one of my favorite authors, I put down, "Keep Writing!" As I hoped, this prompted him to ask me what I write. "Poetry mostly, nothing genre-specific, yet." I told him I keep stalling out after a week or so of writing fervor.

When I made the comment that he's my second favorite author, he said, "So now I'm supposed to ask 'Who's your first?' " I told him Stephen King and he agreed that King is a good model for a writing work ethic.

After he'd signed my books, he handed them back and said, "I'm glad I'm one of your favorites." and he shook my hand. What a nice man. I'd read somewhere that he was abrupt, more New Yorker than Minnesotan. Not true, he's just distracted and a little scatterbrained in a genius kind of way. When I checked his signatures in my books later, in addition to my note, 'Keep Writing!' Keillor added, 'Every day in anyway.' Very cool.