Eric A. Kimmel Himself
On Wednesday night December, 7th I was asked by chair-people of the JCC bookfair if would like to pick up Eric Kimmel at the airport. I knew who Eric Kimmel was, being that I grew up reading his books, some of which are personal favorites of mine - "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" and "The Adventures of Hershel Ostropol" - and I thought it would be cool to meet him. I agreed to make the pick up and collected all the necessary information.
I got to the airport early, but his flight had landed even earlier, and once I got in I could not find Mr. Kimmel. Walking around with my little sign reading "KIMMEL" I looked from person to person for people that looked like the picture I had pulled up online. Finally, after thinking that Eric had already taken the hotel shuttle, I exited through the far door of the airport and held out the sign in last attempt to find him. As I walked out, there he was sitting on the bench - without luggage! We met, shook hands and he started to explain how his luggage had in fact not arrived.
As we got into the car, I thought I would offer Mr. Kimmel dinner. He graciously accepted to my surprise and I took him to my sister's house for the dinner she had prepared. (She too was excited to meet the author of her favorite book growing up!) Eric introduced himself to the family and started to read stories to my niece almost immediately. When my father mentioned right before dinner that he was going to daven maariv, Eric got up found a siddur and davened with us. That was a pleasant surprise!
After dinner, which was filled with questions and stories I shuttled Mr. Kimmel to his hotel in Virginia Beach, taking a quick detour past the Sandler Family Campus to show off the building.
The next morning as Eric first came into the building, I purchased one of his books and he autographed it for me. Later on, after Eric had been telling stories to the Hebrew Academy students, I spotted a copy of "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" I grabbed it right away, and Eric signed it for me. I expressed my thoughts of possibly giving it to someone as a gift when Eric handed it back to me. He had inscribed the following "To Levi: This one you keep for yourself!". That ended those thoughts!
When Eric spoke to the kids and told them stories, he did voices and even acted out some parts! I think they all had fun. I sat in a couple of his sessions, just so I could here the stories straight form the man who wrote them. After he was done we wished each other well, and that's my story about meeting Eric A. Kimmel himself!
oVeR AnD oUt!!
I got to the airport early, but his flight had landed even earlier, and once I got in I could not find Mr. Kimmel. Walking around with my little sign reading "KIMMEL" I looked from person to person for people that looked like the picture I had pulled up online. Finally, after thinking that Eric had already taken the hotel shuttle, I exited through the far door of the airport and held out the sign in last attempt to find him. As I walked out, there he was sitting on the bench - without luggage! We met, shook hands and he started to explain how his luggage had in fact not arrived.
As we got into the car, I thought I would offer Mr. Kimmel dinner. He graciously accepted to my surprise and I took him to my sister's house for the dinner she had prepared. (She too was excited to meet the author of her favorite book growing up!) Eric introduced himself to the family and started to read stories to my niece almost immediately. When my father mentioned right before dinner that he was going to daven maariv, Eric got up found a siddur and davened with us. That was a pleasant surprise!
After dinner, which was filled with questions and stories I shuttled Mr. Kimmel to his hotel in Virginia Beach, taking a quick detour past the Sandler Family Campus to show off the building.
The next morning as Eric first came into the building, I purchased one of his books and he autographed it for me. Later on, after Eric had been telling stories to the Hebrew Academy students, I spotted a copy of "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" I grabbed it right away, and Eric signed it for me. I expressed my thoughts of possibly giving it to someone as a gift when Eric handed it back to me. He had inscribed the following "To Levi: This one you keep for yourself!". That ended those thoughts!
When Eric spoke to the kids and told them stories, he did voices and even acted out some parts! I think they all had fun. I sat in a couple of his sessions, just so I could here the stories straight form the man who wrote them. After he was done we wished each other well, and that's my story about meeting Eric A. Kimmel himself!
oVeR AnD oUt!!
posted by Levi M. at 9:48 PM
1 Comments:
I recieved a letter in the mail yesterday from Mr. Kimmel. It said "Dear Levi, Thanks so much for inviting me for dinner when i arrived, it was so much fun. It more than made up for 'no luggage'. Wishing you and your family a happy Hanukkah - without goblins! ---Eric A. Kimmel
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