On Meeting Neil Gaiman

Last night, perhaps, is another one of those nights that will be forever etched in my memory, and in a good way. I dragged the Cheese to Rockwell Powerplant Mall (though I know very well that he has work later that night and he hasn't slept a wink yet) to watch the 3rd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards where Neil Gaiman himself will grace the stage and hand the awards to all the winners.

When I decided to go to Rockwell, I was somehow content with the thought of just seeing Mr. Neil Gaiman himself even from afar. But then when he said that Fully Booked will choose 100 lucky individuals for free book signing after the awards show via electronic raffle, of course a sudden surge of hope enveloped me. I can have a chance. Just register at the entrance and pray with all our might that our name be called.

My name was never called. But the Cheese's name was. Lucky number 36. And I SUPER thank the Lord for that. Of course the Cheese gave the number passes to me after claiming it.

I was sooo nervous, excited, happy and scared all at the same time as the line to Mr. Gaiman's table got shorter and shorter. All around us hundreds of fans were milling around, looking and sometimes begging for some random person whom they can give their books/comics for Neil to sign to and I am happy to report that there was no shortage of kind people that night.

Most of my other Gaiman books were on loan so I only have Good Omens with but at the last moment, since I believed that there will be no other chance quite like this in the near future, I shelled out what little money I had that night to buy the comics version of Neverwhere.

I was amazed that when my turn finally came, I didn't buckle nor melted on the floor like what I've been imagining all throughout the line. I actually made a small conversation with Neil and had the courage and boldness to ask him to hug me because I know that if I don't I can never forgive myself for being a wimp. Ha!

My I-can't-believe'I'm-hugging-Neil-Gaiman moment.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you dear Lord for granting a chance, thank you to the Cheese for coming with me to that event, thank you Mr. Neil Gaiman for coming back, for accommodating all your fans, for being terribly and genuinely nice and pleasant and for reading those poems to us last night. You're right, we owe it to each other to tell stories.