Elevator Stories, #1, seen at Player Palooza, Feb. 2, 2015

Imagine my excitement at the proximity of Trail Blazers' point guard Damian Lillard as Janessa and I waited for the elevator to the street level so that we could find the free buffet--we were hungry! We'd already been politely shooed off an earlier elevator by handlers of other players. A few minutes later, Damian's ever-present handlers turned around and led him through the black curtains. Well, we'd seen him closer than ever and were a couple of happy fans because Damian's autograph/photo line had included way too many people for us to even make an attempt at it. When the elevator door opened, we got on; I stood behind the seated elevator operator looking out the open doors when a man stepped on and looked me in the eye. I held up my right index finger and quietly said to him, "I'm not getting off this elevator." He took my measure, turned and waved someone toward the opposite corner--Damian Lillard! I didn't take a photo to prove this because I felt it would be rude to do so and knew there wouldn't be time to ask for permission before the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. However, as Janessa and I stepped off to begin our buffet search, I looked over my left shoulder at him standing in the corner, smiled and said, "Good luck, Dame." He smiled back. Sweet.