Does anyone know about the missing piece to this story?
Help - Does anyone know about the missing piece to this story?
What did Julia Child say on her television show that so impressed Wynn he bonded with her right then and there?
Here is the part of Wynn's great adventure that I do know:
Wynn was cruising around in whatever passed as his car his last year or two at Rice when he heard a radio announcement that Julia Child was conducting a book signing at a local book shop. Being Wynn he redirected his car and went to see her. He arrived to find a very long line of folks, all carrying at least one of her cookbooks for her to sign. Undaunted by his own empty hands he got in line only to have the bookstore goons (Wynn's exact word) told him he could not stand in line with no book for her to sign.
Sigh, he had no money to buy one of her cook books so he left but reaching his car he remembered he did have with him Dr. Zeuss's Green Eggs And Ham. So, armed now with a book he rejoined the line. The goons reappeared and protested that he did not have Julia's new cook book. But he protested, he did have a cook book of sorts, a breakfast cook book in fact, about ham and eggs. No, no, not right they argued. But Wynn would not budge argued back quite seriously with some indignation. The goons were puzzled and not truly prepared for a tussle so consulted with the book store owner who opted not to make a bigger scene out of this silly incident and let Wynn just be.
Happy to be over this hurdle Wynn turned to his now fellow folks in line and started to discuss his admiration for Julia. What he met was incredulous returned glances mostly and very few comments. Most all these folks seemed to Wynn to be just about collecting another famous autograph to add to their collection. I few even went on to tell him about all the other autograph books they owned, in mint condition (of course, Wynn would say later in his retelling, "Not even READ even!"
At last Wynn got to his turn in front of Julia and set his book of Green Eggs and Ham before her.
"What's this?" she asked. "This is not my book."
"No," explained Wynn. "You see, I am just a college student and just can not afford to buy one of your book and most certainly could not afford to cook all the wonderful things in it." He then went on to explain how he had first seen her doing her live cooking show, before they were taped. She got finished but obviously got a frantic signal from the camera crew that they still has some three or four more minutes to fill and to stretch it out. So she did. What I have forgotten was what was it she did extemporaneously which so amused and impressed Wynn? I do know that Julia was impressed enough to tell Wynn to come around the table and sit down next to her and they visited while she mechanically signed the books presented to her. One of the things Wynn learned was Julia loved Cadillacs and thought they were just the finest ride around. Hmmm, I wonder if this is has anything to do with why Wynn later purchased his vintage Cadillacs? Does anyone know?
The end of this story came with Wynn and Julia happily chatting and laughing some while after the books signing was completed. Eventually Julia organizers insisted she get on to the next event on her calendar and hustled her off. But... not before she sighed Wynn's copy of Green Eggs and Ham. It is this signed copy that Wynn insisted in his email directive be given to Lyda Rose, his brother Scott and wife Jenny's daughter.
If you have any insight, please click the comments button below this post, and tell us what you know.
Jme Guehring
jmeguehring@yahoo.com
Here is the part of Wynn's great adventure that I do know:
Wynn was cruising around in whatever passed as his car his last year or two at Rice when he heard a radio announcement that Julia Child was conducting a book signing at a local book shop. Being Wynn he redirected his car and went to see her. He arrived to find a very long line of folks, all carrying at least one of her cookbooks for her to sign. Undaunted by his own empty hands he got in line only to have the bookstore goons (Wynn's exact word) told him he could not stand in line with no book for her to sign.
Sigh, he had no money to buy one of her cook books so he left but reaching his car he remembered he did have with him Dr. Zeuss's Green Eggs And Ham. So, armed now with a book he rejoined the line. The goons reappeared and protested that he did not have Julia's new cook book. But he protested, he did have a cook book of sorts, a breakfast cook book in fact, about ham and eggs. No, no, not right they argued. But Wynn would not budge argued back quite seriously with some indignation. The goons were puzzled and not truly prepared for a tussle so consulted with the book store owner who opted not to make a bigger scene out of this silly incident and let Wynn just be.
Happy to be over this hurdle Wynn turned to his now fellow folks in line and started to discuss his admiration for Julia. What he met was incredulous returned glances mostly and very few comments. Most all these folks seemed to Wynn to be just about collecting another famous autograph to add to their collection. I few even went on to tell him about all the other autograph books they owned, in mint condition (of course, Wynn would say later in his retelling, "Not even READ even!"
At last Wynn got to his turn in front of Julia and set his book of Green Eggs and Ham before her.
"What's this?" she asked. "This is not my book."
"No," explained Wynn. "You see, I am just a college student and just can not afford to buy one of your book and most certainly could not afford to cook all the wonderful things in it." He then went on to explain how he had first seen her doing her live cooking show, before they were taped. She got finished but obviously got a frantic signal from the camera crew that they still has some three or four more minutes to fill and to stretch it out. So she did. What I have forgotten was what was it she did extemporaneously which so amused and impressed Wynn? I do know that Julia was impressed enough to tell Wynn to come around the table and sit down next to her and they visited while she mechanically signed the books presented to her. One of the things Wynn learned was Julia loved Cadillacs and thought they were just the finest ride around. Hmmm, I wonder if this is has anything to do with why Wynn later purchased his vintage Cadillacs? Does anyone know?
The end of this story came with Wynn and Julia happily chatting and laughing some while after the books signing was completed. Eventually Julia organizers insisted she get on to the next event on her calendar and hustled her off. But... not before she sighed Wynn's copy of Green Eggs and Ham. It is this signed copy that Wynn insisted in his email directive be given to Lyda Rose, his brother Scott and wife Jenny's daughter.
If you have any insight, please click the comments button below this post, and tell us what you know.
Jme Guehring
jmeguehring@yahoo.com
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