Many old legends have the birth of something occurring at the same time as the death of something else. I met Dan the same day I bought the tickets for the event that ended things between Lexy. I always kind of saw the death of my relationship with Lexy as the the same time as the birth of my friendship with Dan.
Neil Gaiman was doing a book signing at Forbidden Planet in Tottenham Court Road for his first novel American Gods. So I packed the book in a bag and off I went. The queue was epic, and I started talking to this tall long haired guy in front of me. I don't know about what or how the conversation got started. This was fairly out of character for me, as I'm not the kind of person who talks to strangers easily.
About 20 minutes later, this short, ginger, raver joins the queue behind me. I knew he was a raver because he had this shirt on with like plastic body armour on it. Very raver-ish. I thought it was a bit odd, as I thought Gaiman crowd would be more Goth than raver-ish. About 5 minutes later, this short odd ginger raver joins in my conversation with the tall long haired guy. This wasn't out of character at all for him.
We spend the next 3 hours (I told you it was a long queue) geeking it up, talking about comics, movies, tv and other geek stuff. We have even talked about girls but only in a geek context. Tori got mentioned.
When we got to the front of the queue I asked this guy if he would mind taking some pictures of me getting my book signed, which he obliged. I then took some videos of him getting his booked signed as I wanted some video of Gaiman. I then took his email address so that I could send them to him. He gave me his email address which was a bit odd, znaddaz@ but hey, the net is full of freaks right. I then went to buy the tickets for the event I was going to with Lexy.
I mailed Dan the videos, and he invited me to this gig in The Underworld in Camden Town. I have no idea why I went. I recall I was coming back from somewhere up north. Watford maybe. So I stop off at The Underworld and spend about half an hour walking around trying to recognise a strange guy who I can't really remember what he looks like. Fortunately he recognised me, and although seemed surprised I actually came, was pleased I did. The gig was odd in that it was like a Tuesday night and the only people in The Underworld were people who knew the bands.
After the gig I offered Dan and his really fit flatmate Amy a lift home. They lived South and near me, and Amy was really hot. I didn't realise that Amy was his bird not his flat mate.
Somewhere after this I went to the event with Lexy where things went Pete Tong. I started pouring my heart out on the web. Dan thought this kind of strange but got caught up in the whole train smash of it and started reading it with idle fascination.
And that is how Dan and I become friends.
I never saw Lexy again. I never saw the long haired guy again. I consider Dan one of my closest friends.
Dan is an amazing guy. He's one of those people that will always be there for you. He has more energy than anyone I know. He's the kind of guy who you can say "come to Liverpool to meet some friends" and then tell him half way up that it's a blind date with girl you met on the internet and not have him flip out. One couldn't wish for a better friend.
Happy birthday mate. I would swap you for Lexy any day (Even though I got teh sex from Lexy (look you're hairy and snore a lot and I'm not going there) ).
1. Destructor
I can totally crib this post for your birthday next week.
2. Lyle
On a purely pedantic point, American Gods was nowhere near Gaiman’s first novel. I think - and I’m not certain even on this one - that Neverwhere counts as his first novel.
There was also Stardust and Coraline before American Gods, as well as at least one short story collection. Oh, and of course Good Omens, although that was a duet with Terry Pratchett.
3. Adrian
Neverwhere was a TV show first, Coraline was after, and a kids book, and Good Omens was a duet.
You’ve got me on Stardust though.
This was exactly the kind of conversations we were having in the queue.
4. Gordon
Happy Birthday Da…. hang on. Shouldn’t I be saying this on his site?
5. Destructor
Well I’m hardly going to make a Birthday post on my OWN site, am I?
“Woe is me! I’m 29.”
6. matthew
I’d wish Dan a happy birthday on his site, but I’ve been getting a 504 on znaddanz.com for about three weeks now.
So err… Happy Birthday Dan!
7. Lyle
Yeah, I was never sure with Neverwhere whether it was book then TV series, or vice versa.
Must admit, I thought Coraline came before American Gods, but that could just be my shonky memory.
Ah well.
Oh yeah, and happy birthday Dan. 29, a mere child…
8. razorhead
Geek love. Shiny.
9. Ian
One thing is for sure… you write a hell of a lot better now than you did back then!
Happy b-day Danzor!
10. annie
Sweet…
11. Lori
Great post, but Watford isn’t exactly ‘up North’ :-)
12. Adrian
Anything North of Camden, is up North. And it may have been Liverpool, but I don’t think it was.