Astronaut Autographs

Michael Collins Signing Sept. 2006

Michael Collins was here for his third signing on September 8. He hasn't changed since we first met in 2004: Still lean and trim with not an ounce of body fat. He flew in from Boston, which is where his wife Pat is from, one of his daughters and five grandchilden live. Pat loves her hometown, but Mike prefers the warmer occean around their South Florida home.

His flight was actually quite early, so he took the tour of our new shop, and relaxed in my office for a while before he got started signing. Many poeple took advantage of the lower fees on Collins' four books so there were a lot of those. Also, several Apollo 11 completion items. Respone ws actually in excess of the previous year.

We were going to do video of a question and answer session, like we had done with Jim McDivitt previously, but Mike said he'd rather not. We had heard that pal Neil Armstrong chuckled when he hear the description of Mike's Snook One Launch, so Mike signed one of his giclees to him: "Neil, the one that got away"

We finished up late in the day, and Mike went outside to check out Randy's (our computer man) new Harley Sportster. Mike was craving his after-signing margarita, so off we went to dinner at our traditional Mexican restaurant. They have no idea how many times we have brought Apollo astronauts there for our after-signing dinner and drinks. Mike had his usual huge margarita and Enchiladas Suisse.

Exhausted from jet lag, the tequila, and dinner, we cheked him in to his hotel, and took him to the airport early next morning. Till next year. --KIM POOR