The encounter couldn't have been more than 8 seconds. I waited around after the show, which I got to see within an arm's reach of the stage. I went through the back exit and came back. No sign of him. You never know where and when is the best time to meet these rock stars; every club is different. It's well past midnight. My legs are killing me. I'm sitting on a stool with a table behind me completely covered in beer cans, holding my pen along with the CD I purchased at the T-shirt table, and the still slightly damp, folded up sheets of paper I had in my baggy back pocket. Finally, I saw him walk across the room with a few other guys, walking past me and heading for the back exit door on the other side. Here was my chance.

00:00 -- START

Without taking my eyes off him, I walked up to him until I was walking along the left side of him, simultaneously taking the cap off my pen.

00:02

"Excuse me, Rich? Rich? Hi. Could you please sign this for me?" This guy's a lot taller (yes, literally) than I thought.

00:03

Rich says sure, and signs a side of my folded sheet of paper. Realizing he's well on his way out the door, and that I really only have a few more seconds to speak, my face breaks itself into a nervous smile and I say, "I've been a fan a yours since 'Jealous Again' hit the airwaves in 1990!" Rich smiles, exposing the left side of his top row teeth, handing me back my pen, autographed paper, and the CD case underneath that acted as a backing board.

00:06

Rich just starts to turn away, but I throw out my right hand. "Thank you so much. And thanks for coming out here!" He shakes my hand, and continues walking to the exit.

0:08 -- END

I look around. Was there something else here I needed? No, I got what I wanted. I go down the stairs and out the front exit. There's no sense in making Rich think I'm stalking him, as tempting as the idea is. I see Rich leaving towards one of the parking garages with a group of people. He sees that I'm not too far away from him, but I make it clear that I'm crossing the street at another block. A couple of screaming drunk guys from the club are heading in his direction though. I'm sure he has his ways of dealing with that, so I head to the car. Yet another name I can cross off of my people-I-want-to-meet-before-I-die list.