March 02, 2006 Issue                                               

©2005 The Chestnut Hill Local

Real-life hero does not disappoint at Hill Hotel
by MICHAEL EGENOLF

Michael Egenolf, assistant general manager at the Chestnut Hill Hotel, and his wife, Sue, flank their hero, author Neil Gaiman. (Photos by Mat Krzesiczan)

Life is full of disappointment. People disappoint. Experiences disappoint. Expectations fall far short, and we are left with a little space inside us that remains unfulfilled. We’ve all been there. Anticipation is usually the precursor to something far less “whelming” than is truly “anticipated.” Enter the rare character, the living myth, the American God. His name is Neil Gaiman.

A number of years ago, while working for the Free Library of Philadelphia, I happened upon this author purely because the title of his then-current book intrigued me. The book was Neverwhere. My wife and I were both captivated with a story that blended the often mundane world of reality with the colorful and intriguing world of fantasy.

Both of us were enthralled; we felt the unavoidable pull to seek out and devour everything else this master wordsmith had written. Every new piece by this author was like a breath of fresh air in a house that has been closed and neglected for ages; springtime after a long, cold, lonely winter.

His many award-winning and best-selling works include treasures such as Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett), American Gods and his much-praised Sandman series of graphic novels, among others too numerous to name. Whether set in this world or whether the characters are even human, Neil always manages to capture the absurdity, hilarity, sadness and struggle of the human existence and we are left feeling better for it.

It is no mystery, as Mr. Gaiman’s legions of fans will attest, that his work continues to exhilarate. From novels and short stories, comics to screenplays and even the world of children’s books, Neil Gaiman spans every medium of the writing globe and never disappoints.

Peter Bogdonavich, famed director of The Last Picture Show and many other feature films, was another recent guest at the Chestnut Hill Hotel.

Last November my wife learned her father had terminal cancer. This came just on the heels of learning her best friend had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and was undergoing treatments. Just prior to all this, our beloved cat of 10 years, Pilgrim, had succumbed to cancer. It was a devastating one-two-three punch.

I wanted to do something special for my wife, Susan. I wanted to bring a little sunshine to her life when everything seemed so dark. I thought of trying to get something autographed by her favorite writer.

I went to Neil Gaiman’s website, www.neilgaiman.com, in an attempt to accomplish this task. I found that I was a month past the “holiday” deadline, so having nothing to lose, I sent him a nice e-mail explaining my wife’s circumstances and that it would make her holiday to get something signed by her literary hero. I sent the e-mail off into cyberspace never truly expecting a reply.

On Christmas Eve I arrived home after a last-minute shopping jaunt through the neighborhood. Who before my wondering eyes should appear? The local mail carrier with a tube addressed to my wife. I looked at the postmark, and my heart nearly stopped. It was from Menomonie, Wisconsin, a town just outside of Minneapolis. “Gaimanville - Home of an American God.”

Inside was an autographed piece of artwork from one of his novels. My wife cried when I gave it to her. That’s the kind of impact an American God has.

Since August of 2003 I have been employed as manager of the Chestnut Hill Hotel. As soon as I learned from a close friend that Neil Gaiman was coming to Philadelphia to give a talk at Temple University, my next question was “Where is he staying while in town?” It was time for another e-mail.

I sent my correspondence to Gaiman’s assistant, Fabulous Lorraine, who had been instrumental in facilitating my special request the previous Christmas. I reminded Lorraine of the special “gift” Neil had sent my wife. I told her I wanted to return the kindness and put him up at the Chestnut Hill Hotel, where I was employed. Again, I never expected a reply, but again, I was not disappointed. Neil Gaiman replied, “That would be lovely.” I cannot tell you how excited my wife was when I told her.

The plan was that Neil was driving directly to Temple to have dinner with Chip Delany, friend, fellow writer and professor at Temple. The talk was scheduled for 8 p.m. About 700 fans listened to Neil Gaiman’s talk and reading. Then, about 700 fans lined up to get their favorite Neil Gaiman article signed. Again, Neil did not disappoint. He signed, chatted, posed for pictures for every single person in the room until there were none left, and then he signed four or five things in the Mitten Hall vestibule. He was humble, witty and gracious to every single person he met that night, and for every one of them, it was special.

Neil followed my wife and me back through the city to Chestnut Hill and the hotel. It was after midnight, and as tired as he was, I wanted to get a photo of him at the hotel with my wife and me. Again, he didn’t disappoint. He never so much as hinted that he was being inconvenienced. Just before we said goodnight, I asked Neil if his morning schedule would permit him to have breakfast with my wife and me. We expected a polite rejection, but to our surprise and absolute delight, he said, “That would be lovely.” Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep that night.

Breakfast with Neil Gaiman was at Roller’s Espresso. (He ordered a mushroom and cheese omelet, no toast, a side of sausage links and English Breakfast tea - for those of you who are curious.) We talked about books. We talked about his daughter, Holly (attending Bryn Mawr College), and her new lip-piercing. We talked about how my wife and I met and how he and his wife met, and of course, we pummeled him with questions about his writing. It was an amazing breakfast ripe with great conversation from an intelligent and creative human being. On my list of the top 10 people I want to have a meal and conversation with before I die (and my wife’s top three), I have been able to check the first name off the list. It was an experience neither my wife nor I will ever forget.

Every once in a while the stars align and circumstances fall into place. The right place, right time, and you come face-to-face with one of your heroes. Whether it’s a Hollywood star, rock star or a Nobel Prize winner, you think you are in for the encounter of your life only to find that the person you had built up in your mind is nothing like his/her image in real life. I’ve met many famous people. They rarely measure up and often blatantly disappoint. Neil Gaiman was not one of these people. He was at once humble, sincere, kind, affable and witty, and his patience and grace never faltered. It was a 12-hour period my wife and I will never forget. He is a true American hero … even if he does come from England.