I came very close to meeting Kurt Vonnegut when I was 17. He was coming to lecture at Kent State and my boyfriend and I wanted to drive up to meet who I later claimed was the most influential person in my life in my Cornell University application. My mom balked, as the weather was bad and despite my pleas that he may not live much longer, I was forbidden to head out into the snowy Ohio wilderness. Nine years later, he’s still alive. I guess I should work harder at meeting him before it really is too late.