In the early 1970s, in Poland — more precisely in the realities of the People’s Republic of Poland (PRL) — my adventure with collecting autographs began. The fact that I lived in Warsaw was a tremendous advantage and opened up opportunities to meet many well-known people.
I increasingly attended theatre performances, and after the shows — together with a small group of fellow enthusiasts (some of them were probably several times older than I was) — we would patiently wait near the dressing rooms or side exits for the actors to appear. There was something special about those moments: a bit of excitement, a touch of uncertainty, and a great sense of satisfaction when one finally managed to obtain a longed-for signature.
The annual May book fairs held under the Palace of Culture and Science were another excellent opportunity to meet writers. One could not only buy their books but also exchange a few words and ask for a dedication — which is why my library still contains many volumes with personal inscriptions from authors. There were also other, less formal occasions to meet well-known people — and some of them were even my acquaintances.
Over the years, quite a substantial collection of autographs accumulated — kept mainly in three very modest notebooks. After I moved to Canada, a few more signatures were added, but gradually my interest in this hobby began to fade. Life took me in a different direction. Nevertheless, to this day, whenever I have the opportunity to obtain an author’s dedication, I always take it.
The notebooks, however, survived. For a long time, they lay tucked away on the sidelines, somewhat forgotten. Only recently, out of pure curiosity, I returned to them — and quickly discovered that each signature holds its own story. Not only about the person who signed it, but also about the place, time, and circumstances in which it was obtained. Some of these stories I remember very clearly, while others have long since faded from my memory. Still, I return to those notes with genuine pleasure after so many years.
This blog is an attempt to preserve those moments. I would like to gradually present individual autographs and share the stories connected with them — as I remember them today.
Over time, other memorabilia will also appear here: pins, badges, metal pins, and perhaps other small objects that have accompanied me through the years and which also carry their own, often unexpected, stories.
I also hope there will be room here for broader memories. It often happens that a single object, event, or name triggers an entire flood of associations and becomes the starting point for further stories.
TEN BLOG JEST RÓWNIEŻ W JĘZYKU POLSKIM / THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE POLISH LANGUAGE
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