Photo Prophecy

When I sat down on Christmas eve last year to interview AC about his seven summit climbs, I felt really honored. I was actually in disbelief that I had pulled off an interview with this guy. In the car on the way to the meeting, I kept running through my head: He is a world record holder, he is a formidable persona, and he’s meeting with “lil ole me” for an interview!

After the interview, I realized I had not brought my camera (I was a little unnerved while preparing) and couldn’t take a photo of the two of us. I really wanted one of those “here I am with a celebrity” photos, and though it would have been in a coffee shop, against a bland white wall, at that moment, I’d have taken it and been thrilled.

In going through my photos for the book, I ran across this one which is one of many like it that I now have. And looking at it for the twentieth time brings back memories of the trek, but also of that Christmas eve interview and all the distance that has dissolved since then. I think about how uncomfortable I would have been to ask him for a photo after the interview. I think about what that coffee shop photo would have looked like and it makes me giggle.