When Life Becomes a Sitcom by Jenn McKinlay

Sometimes life really does feel more like a sitcom written by Larry David (Seinfeld/Curb Your Enthusiasm) than real life. In my case, it happened at Bouchercon and guest starred Eriq La Salle (unbeknownst to him).

Opening scene: After enjoying pre-dinner cocktails/mocktails with this crew of miscreants (i.e. my plot group buddies and their spousal units)...

Don and Kate
Charlie, Paige, Jenn, and Chris (aka Hub)

...we made our way to the elevators to go to dinner. The doors opened and there was Eriq La Salle with another conference goer. Of course, everyone is super chill and says nothing but silence makes extrovert me itchy, so I felt compelled to tap Eriq's arm and say, "I loved you on ER."

He smiled and said, "Thank you."

Silence returned and then someone in my crew (I think) said, "ER? When were you at the ER? Why were you at the ER?"

Naturally, I felt compelled to explain, "No, he was on the show ER. You know, created by Michael Crichton, took place in an emergency room."

To which Eriq, looking at the floor, said, "Feeling really uncomfortable now."

I was confident he was joking and I was on a roll, so I kept going. "Remember? He played a doctor."

The crew chatted about the show amongst ourselves (okay, mostly me) for a bit until Eriq said, "I'm right here. You know I can hear you, right?"

We all laughed and Hub joked, "Sorry, as soon as the doors open, I'll get her out of here."

"Please." Eriq sent him a mock desperate look.

Of course, we thought that was hilarious. When the elevator stopped, I thanked Eriq for being so kind and he took my hand in his and said, "It was really nice to meet you."

Now this would have been a perfect meet and greet at a conference of 1700 attendees where I would most likely never bump into the same person twice, but we were living in a sitcom, so the story doesn't end there.

My friends teased me mercilessly and hilariously that after I accosted Eriq in the elevator every time he came into a room that I was in, he would see me and bolt. I joined in and when I saw Eriq across the book room, in the lobby, or at a Guest of Honor interview, I pretended to wave to him and then continued the pretense that he saw me (he didn't) and did a quick pivot to get away from me. All good self-deprecating fun! 

Now because I'm a slacker and a baseball fan, I dipped on the banquet and went to the Padres game instead (they won!!!). I also ate my body weight in hot dogs, tacos, ice cream, peanuts...you get the idea. (Hey, calories don't count at conferences especially when you're walking 18K steps per day)! After the game, Hub and I rolled back to our room and were ready for bed by 9:00 PM. Hardcore partiers, I know!

The banquet was still going, however, and I got a text from Paige telling me I couldn't go to bed because they had something for me. I waited for a bit but then texted back that I absolutely had to crash. I was thinking whatever goodie bag they had grabbed for me could wait. Paige then called (yes, actually called) and said, "Just come down to the main floor. Really quick. Trust me."

Y'all, I was in my pajamas! But I love my plot group besties so I put on pants and my baseball hat and threw on a sweatshirt over my jammie top and went downstairs. 

In short order the crew (Paige, Charlie, Kate, and Don) arrived, with the addition of Leslie Karst who was now in on the joke, and they handed me Eriq La Salle's book LAWS of DEPRAVITY. This cracked me up, because it was the perfect gift. 

BUY HERE

Then they told me to open it. Apparently, Paige and Charlie scored the book and then randomly bumped into Eriq (because, of course they did!). They asked him if he remembered the incident in the elevator to which he replied, "Oh, I remember."

Eriq very graciously signed it with Charlie's suggested inscription  "thanks for making me uncomfortable" which obviously made me howl with laughter. Truly, the best inscription I've ever received.

Now this really should be the end of the tale. Is it? No, of course, it isn't! While we were laughing and chatting on the far side of the hotel away from everyone, who should walk by? Yes! Eriq La Salle! What are the odds?!

I held up the book and yelled, "Hey, Eriq, thanks for the book!" 

He grinned and strode toward me and said, "Jenn, can you read what I wrote? I was running out of room."

I replied, "Oh, yeah, I can read it." We both laughed and then I said, "You know we have to take a picture now."

And he said, "Of course."

So we did. End of episode.

Sitcom Jenn and guest star Eriq - What a great guy!

Now, everyone, go buy his books!!! He has two out in the Martyr Maker series, Laws of Depravity and Laws of Wrath, with a third, Laws of Annihilation, on the way in October. 

So, tell me, Reds and Readers, have you ever found yourself living a sitcom or had a celebrity meeting that just went sideways -- in a good way?