Near the end of our small meal, Marije hit my arm and whispered, forcefully, "oh my God, that lady sitting behind us" - I looked, and noticed it immediately - "she looks so much like JK Rowling!" I nodded my head excitedly and we began talking about her. Every time we glanced back, the lady looked more and more like JK Rowling, and we began wondering if it really was her - the similarity was ridiculous. On the other hand, she was only with one other person, and nobody else had recognized her. JK Rowling is the most famous author in the entire world - how could nobody else in that crowded cafe recognize her? We decided to ask her if she was JK Rowling. Even if it wasn't her, she looked too much like her to let this opportunity pass. If it wasn't, we would apologize and move on and if it was, we would politely asked for an autograph and a picture.
When Grandma left to go to the washroom, we deliberated whether or not to ask for a picture, as it could be rude because she was eating. We kept glancing back, and she was glancing at us too, very likely noticing that we were looking at her [thinking back, she was probably laughing to herself]. All the while, we were freaking out, saying, "oh my God!" many times. Marije went to get Grandma when we became very impatient. When Marije returned, Grandma came not long after. Marije said it would be rude to ask for a picture, and Grandma agreed. When Grandma went to pay for the bill, Marije and I approached the lady and her friend's table. We agreed that I would ask, but Marije would stay right there the whole time. We approached te table and waited for a break in their conversation, or for them to notice us. When they did . . .
Lady who looked like JK Rowling[looking up]: Hello?
Me[nervous - she was looking right at me!]: Um ... excuse me. Hi. Um ... are you JK Rowling.
Lady[nodding as if she totally expected it]: I am.
*At this point, I completely froze and probably had a look of shock on my face. I'm pretty sure I tried to say something but couldn't. Honesly, I was totally speechless and probably looked like a complete idiot lol.
Marije[after a pause]: like ... are you really?
Lady who actually WAS JK Rowling[smiling]: Yes.
Marije: Would you mind signing something for us?
JK Rowling[pushing her plate back]: Of course, no problem. Do you have something I can sign?
Marije[pulling out her student pass]: Here, you can use this. Do you have a pen, Anneke?
JK Rowling [looking at me]: Sorry, I don't have one.
Me [searching my purse like a madwoman]: Yeah, somewhere in here, I think. No, I dont, but Grandma has one.
JK Rowling[searching her own purse]: Oh, I do have one.
*Marije handed the student pass to JK Rowling.
JK Rowling: What's you name, dear?
Marije: Marije. [after JK Rowling looked at her quizzically for a moment]It's M-A-R-I-J-E. It's Dutch.
JK Rowling[interested, while signing]: Huh. Are you Dutch?
Marije: Not really. Well ... sort of - my grandparents are.
*JK Rowling handed back the pass and took mine.
JK Rowling: And what's your name?
Me: Anneke. A-N-N-E-K-E.
Marije: We were looking for the cafe called Elephant House, where they say you wrote, but we couldn't find it.
JK Rowling[handing back the pass and smiling guiltily]: Yeah, I tell people I wrote there. I didn't really.
Me: um ... would you -
Marije[accidentally interrupting]: Oh. Well actually meeting you is so much better than eating in a cafe where "they say" you wrote in.
JK Rowling[smiling]: Well, it was a pleasure meeting you.
*JK Rowling looked at me again, expecting me to finish what I'd started to say earlier, which I almost forgot.
Me: Um ... would be, like, really insulted if we asked for a picture? [Looking back, that was a horrible way of phrasing that, but pretty much everything I said in that moment was horrible].
JK Rowling[shaking her head and starting to get up from the booth]: No, not at all. But we should get going, shouldn't we?
Her Friend[with a round face and short, dark, curly hair]: Yeah, we really need to go. [Looking at me] Can it be quick?
Me: Yeah, of course.
*JK Rowling came out of the booth and walked to stand in between Marije and I.
JK Rowling: Who's going to take the picture?
Her Friend[reaching for the camera]: I can.
*I handed the camera to her. JK Rowling held out her arm for me to come and stand beside her and Marije. I came, and she put her hand on my shoulder. The lady took the picture and handed the camera back.
Me: Thank you so much.
JK Rowling: No problem. It was a pleasure meeting you girls.
Marije: It was really great meeting you.
JK Rowling: I'm glad. Good-bye!
Us[shyly]: Bye!
Also:
- before we sat down, we noticed it was crowded and almost decided to go to another cafe!
- JK Rowling was SO nice! She wasn't annoyed or bothered at all that we came up to her. She was very patient and, if she wasn't so famous, would be very easy to talk to :)
- very obvious she was used to speaking with people that come up to he
- the picture is a little blurry but it's still recognizable, and apparently you can get that fixed somewhere...
- couldn't focus on the National Scottish Gallery of Art at all when we went there after the cafe.
- she spelt my name wrong
- this all happened on Friday, February 11, 2011 at around 3 in the afternoon. Of course, this is the UK, so if people at home are reading this, it was around 10 in the morning your time.
- she wrote:
"To Anneka, with lots of love,
JK Rowling"
I'm on a laptop that's not mine right now, so I can't put the picture on right now. I will post it, however, either when I magically find a way to on this laptop or when I get home.
