Two authors walk into a bar...one is Joe Haldeman

     I got a text from a bar manager I know. He says, come to the bar tonight I want you to meet a friend of mine. So of course I go because I know who he is talking about. His friend is Joe Haldeman, author of many science fiction books, most notably Forever War.
     Just before 7, the agreed upon time, I get there and grab a table in the back so I can see most of the place. The waitress brings me my beer and I wait. The manager comes over and says, come with me. We take two strides and stop at the table in front of me. There sitting with his wife and sister-in-law is Joe. I got nervous.
    The introductions are made and I babble on. Surprisingly they ask me to sit. So I sit and continue to babble. Slowly it turns into pretty good conversation. Gay, Joe's wife, couldn't be nicer. It turns out we have similar day jobs so we talked shop while Joe ate his pizza!
     After a while I went back to my table and texted as many people as I could, recounting my time with Joe over and over. It wasn't over just yet.
     As they paid their tab, Gay came over and asked if I wanted a picture with Joe and she also asked for one of my business cards. I couldn't believe it. Thanks to my writing partner, Forrest, I had some on me and we exchanged contact info.
    What a great night. It was so cool to meet a giant in the field of scifi and talk to him like a regular guy. This was no comic con snap a pic for $75 and be ushered off. They made time for me and I greatly appreciated that.