OK, where to start, where to start.

How 'bout this. I FINALLY GOT TO MEET REED DIAMOND!!! MIKEY FREAKIN' KELLERMAN! MY FAVORITE "HOMICIDE" DETECTIVE!

Ahem, now that I've calmed down. I'll tell you what I know. Since I'm making a point of not stealing any of Maura's thunder, I'll just tell you of my personal experiences on this beautiful Tuesday the 13th in the Year of Our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Eight.

I was one of eight lucky fans to be given a personal tour of the Station House by Reed (who told me to call him by his first name). He was the coolest. As some of you know, I am a journalist. Back in May, once the two-part "Fallen Heroes" epic was over, I was a little put off by the tidal wave of press that Andre's departure from the show caused ... yet barely a single article on Reed. So, I wrote a tribute piece to him and the remarkable job he did with the Kellerman character in Season 6 in the Avenue Papers in Baltimore and it was published.

Everyone I knew said I should have sent the article to him, but of course I didn't know where. I never dreamed I would get to hand-deliver it to him personally. I should have dreamed, because it came true. I got to give it to the man on the Squad Room set. He thanked me, and then rewarded me with agreeing to pose for a personal picture of me and him IN FRONT OF THE BOARD!!! There were no lights on on the set and I was afraid it wasn't going to turn out. But you know what? IT DID! It is absolutely perfect. I've already had it developed and enlarged and it now sits on my coffee table in a nice frame.

BUT ... that wasn't the half of it. Later on, I see Reed on Thames St. just as I am about to leave. By name, he calls me over, shakes my hand, and says (word for word): "Teddy, I just wanted you to know that I loved your article. It really touched me. It's so cool to meet a journalist who actually gets it. Who got what I was doing. Thank you so much." And, then he autographed my "Saigon Rose" script with the inscription: "To Teddy. All the Best! Thank you so much for the great article! Reed."

A personal dream has come true. I can die now. As one Homiconner once said, "Reed Diamond is a true gem."

Teddy

P.S. I met Jon Seda (he was very nice, very short, and very oily) and saw Richard Belzer, Callie Thorne, and Toni Lewis. I also saw parts of four scenes filmed. But more on that later.