One sunny spring day, at the tender age of 25 I was out and about in my favorite place in the world, Stockholm the capital of Sweden. I was walking the streets, not really looking for anything when I happened upon a small thriftstore that sold books. I have been a passionate reader for most of my life, and I could not resist going in to browse and see if anything would catch my attention. I was walking along the tables where houndreds of books were stacked in no particular order as it seemed, when I saw a book I had read a long time ago and really liked. I picked it up and glanced at a few pages remebering how I had enjoyed reading it. Beside me stood two ladies engaged in a conversation and the one facing me suddenly looked at the book in my hand and smiled and said, oh you´ve got good taste! I looked up and said that yes I had endeed enjoyed this book. I then remembered having read another book by the same author, which I told the lady, and urged her to read it. She looked at me with a both bewildered and amused expression, I thought she did not know the book I was talking about, so I told her the title of the book and gave her a very short resume, should she be interested in reading it. Her expression had now changed from mildly amused to all she could do to not laugh and her friend had turned around looking at me with a big smile. I did not understand anything until I again glanced at the book in my hand, this time at the back where there was a picture of the author, and then it all makes sense to me. The lady in the picture and the lady standing in front of me was one and the same… I had no idea how to save the situation, nor save face so I did the only thing I could think of, I asked her for her autograph, which she very kindly gave me. I then turned around with robotlike movements, I was so embarrassed I could hardly walk, went to the cashier, payed for the book and ran out the door as fast as my legs could carry me. I still have the book, a now very priced possession, and every time I see it, I cannot help laughing. The embarrassement has faded and only the humor remains.
There is a twist to this story. A few years later a friend of mine met this author and they both fell in love, they are a couple still as far as I know. I told him what ha happened that day in the thriftstore and when he later on asked her if she remebered, she had collapsed on the sofa laughing. I think it is safe to say I left a lasting impression.