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| Ryan, Shea, Clancy, Brady |
Check this Washington Post story about an interviewer who came away with a no so favorable opinion of Tom Clancy (click here.) Excerpt follows:
“Carlson wrote that he felt like he was “chained to a bar stool in some VFW hall. . . forced to listen to the world’s biggest barroom blowhard.” They never spoke again.”
This would tend to confirm my opinion of Mr. Clancy based on my one encounter with him. 
It was 18 October 1987 that Clancy appeared at the Lexington Park Library to sign his newest book Patriot Games. I know the date because it was the same evening that Baby Jessica was rescued from that well in Texas (click here.) I took my four red heads Ryan, Brady, Shea and Reagan to the book signing only to find the line stretched throughout the library and out the door. I told the kids that we’d get a Slurpee if they were patient and cooperated.
We waited in line for about 30 or so minutes and finally got to the desk with Mr. Clancy who proceeded to sign our paid for copy of Patriot Games. As the kids posed and Clancy signed the book (photo above,) I asked him twice to please look up as I took the pic, but he would not do so. The “p” word ran thru my mind to describe him. However, I wrote it off that he was just pissed at having to sign four names in the book for us. (Reagan is not in the pic because she was only 3 at the time and I had her in one arm while I took the photo with the other hand.)
Anyway, got the book, got the autograph and photo and headed to 7-11 for the promised Slurpee. I was enthused that we had done what we’d done and tried to pass the significance of that along to the kids. “Just think, you guys got to meet a world famous author.” In the 7-11 as we were paying for our Slurpees Brady informed the young jheri curled clerk “I just met Tom Clancy.” The clerk replied “Who’s that?” And I thought “Touche.”