My wife Joyce & I had a wonderful time at Harlan's visit to Harper College.
It was a pretty good crowd (ok, ok, there were a FEW scary
fan-boys and -girls, but) overall it was an interesting experience to be
in a room full of people who actually Know Who He Is.

As expected, the evening was wide-ranging; he first appeared in the
lobby area as we entered and shouted "Hey, don't just bring the old shit
for me to sign, you got time to buy some of the new stuff!"  He opened
with the "Leprechaun Nun" joke, proceded to bounce back & forth between
dealing with a lass named Jennifer on the school paper, speaking to a
writing class ("Having me speak to a class of students is near to child
endangerment."), James Cameron (meeting the attorneys from O'Mallory &
Myers described as "going down the subway tunnel to meet Shazaam and
walking past the statues of the Seven Deadly Sins), Howard Stern on tv
("Is this entertainment?  I know the guy is always talking about my
books, but I'd rather watch Herbert Hoover schtup Kate Smith."),
freezing part of his anatomy off in front of the St. Moritz (which could
be a catchy tune "Losing your d*ck at the St. Mortiz"), school days and
a reading from "Prince Mishkin".

On the way out to the lobby to commence autographing books, I had gotten
in his way and started to say something; he looked me at me and said
very politely "I'm very tired and I really need to get out there." 
Joyce and I stood in line and conversed with other fans; as we got
closer to the signing table, he was including us, thru eye contact and
body language, in the conversations with other fans.  When we got to the
table and I began to apologize for impeding him, Harlan apologized to me
for having to cut me off earlier.  I introduced him to Joyce ("My wife,
the doctor"). We talked, we laughed, he noticed that Joyce's copy of
Edgeworks 4 was bound upside down and asked her if she wanted another
book. She said no; I said "Her former in-laws came to our wedding, so
upside down works for us." So he proceded to sign it front and back, so
we now have in out library a rare upside down, double-signed first
edition.  We told him about some friends of ours who lost a son and how
"Jeffty was Five" became part of the eulogy; how when we lost one of our
dogs, I read "Abhuu" to Joyce and we cried together.  We shook hands, I
thanked him and he turned to Joyce, smiled and said "See ya around, Doc"

And a great time was had by all...