Greg Mortenson is the author of the nonfiction books "Three Cups of Tea" and "Stones into Schools." The former is #2 on the NY Times paperback bestseller list, and the latter is #3 on the hardcover list. Greg spoke in Seattle in December, and he packed a local university gym. I heard there were about ~2500 people in attendance, and an unknown number were turned away.I wanted to make sure I got in, so I arrived early: Doors would open at 6:15 pm for a 7 pm talk, and I arrived around 2 pm. No one was in line yet, but by ~2:45 pm, there were ~6 of us, representing 6 different groups. One was a wife (her husband would come later), one worked for World Vision, one was a consultant who had travelled near Pakistan and Afghanistan, one was a recent college grad (her friends would come later), one was me, and one was a family who had come from eastern Washington. The family had driven for hours and rented a hotel room, just to hear Greg talk! (Actually, I would have done the same!) Even though it was cold and rainy, I enjoyed getting to know everyone. We all shared a common passion.
Since I had already read Greg's latest book, and I had waited so long in line, the actual talk seemed a bit anticlimactic to me. Also, Greg is not the typical speaker: he does not speak with the polish or eloquence that a motivational speaker, politician, or salesman would have. But I daresay that Greg Mortenson speaks with authority, and that authority was earned in the villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and also in his tireless efforts in America. So we all listened.Greg's talk ended around 8:15 or 8:30 pm, and then the real wait began. Hundreds of people rushed to the stage to get Greg's autograph! It was fairly orderly, and everyone got into line, but it sure formed quickly! I hate rushing, and I was in no hurry, so I went over to talk to a friend (the consultant guy) who had also not gotten into line yet. My friend had to get home to his family, and we tried to estimate how long the line would take. I was thinking ~250 people at 10 seconds per person = 2500 seconds = less than 1 hour. That was a conservative estimate based on what I had seen at other signings at anime conventions, video game conventions, etc. I was so wrong.
It turns out that Greg actually likes to meet people. And talk to them. Greg ended up talking to each person for an average of 1 minute each. 60 seconds each, for 250 people. That's a long time, if you really try to do it. (We have greeting time in church, and I have trouble talking to someone for more than 15 seconds.) And Greg has been doing this across the country for weeks. He must know that he won't remember everyone and that he could get a couple more hours of sleep if he just followed the norm. But he's just that kind of guy.One thing that added to the time was that stack of books on the table. But that's not what you think. They sold all of Greg's books there, but that was at a table way in the back of the gym. The books you see are books that Greg is giving away. Yes, he would give away his own books. What would happen is that Greg would start signing whichever book you gave him, and he would talk to you, and in talking to you he might decide to give you another of his books. For example, if you had kids he might give you the children's version of "Three Cups of Tea." Or if you were a poor student, he might give you another book. Remember that family that had driven from eastern Washington? Greg gave them a *box* of books to take back to their school.
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| From Greg Mortenson |
When I finally got to meet Greg, it indeed felt anticlimactic. I shook his hand, he apologized that I had to wait so long, I thanked him for everything, and I asked him to sign three of his books. He asked if I was a student, and I said no (I'll bet he would have given me a book if I had been), and that was pretty much it. I left around 12:15 am.
You know, there was a point near the end of "Stones into Schools" . . . I was reading in bed, and Greg was writing about one of his friends in a dire situation, about a school that needed to be built, and the ensuing winter that would arrive in a couple weeks time. I put the book down, and I lay in bed and prayed for Greg's friend. I am pretty sure that I have never prayed for a person in a book. Nevermind that the book was telling me about a past event, that winter had already come, and that Greg was only pages away from revealing his friend's fate. I prayed because if there was any chance that God could intervene--God being beyond both space and time--then I needed to take that chance. It was that important to me. I end with that story to show what kind of impact Greg's story has had on me.
As it turns out, my prayer was answered.
Cheers to Greg Mortenson!
