The time Harlan Ellison called my house at 2am

…and how I met Robert Silverberg

When I was approximately 17 (in the 1970’s), Harlan Ellison called my house at 2am.

For those that don’t know, Harlan Ellison is a Science Fiction writer, most famous for a Star Trek episode and his sci-fi novels, for example I Have no Mouth, and I Must Scream.

The cover art alone is crazy enough:

But when I read this book as a teen, before he called my house at 2am, it was quite an experience.

Let me set the stage for the phone call:

It was the 70’s, a time when phone calls were not cheap, as they are today. It was also rare for middle class families to have more than a single phone in the house. If there was more than one phone, there certainly wouldn’t be a phone in each bedroom. It was really common at the time to have a really long extension cord, so the phone could reach into different bedrooms. That was the case at my house. The single phone upstairs could reach from my parent’s bedroom, where it was plugged in to either of the other rooms on the second floor.

On the night in question, I was awake and had the phone in my bedroom.

Also pertinent to the story is that Martin H Greenberg and his family were staying at our house.

I was close friends with his step-daughter when we were younger and lived in Miami, FL. I also adored his wife, and my friend’s mother, Sally. In my teen years, she was one of two adults that were unlike any others. I related to her and could talk with her. Unfortunately, she (and Martin) have passed away, but I still think of her from time to time.

Martin was in town for a sci-fi convention. I have tried several times to find information about this event, but have failed. Perhaps it was more of a private meeting of sci-fi writers? I know that Robert Silverberg went because I drove Martin to Robert’s house, so he could hitch a ride to Lake Tahoe for the event. I took along a few Silverberg’s books and he graciously signed them. There was a little awkward chit chat before I drove home.

Lastly, I can’t say enough about how unusual it would have been to get a phone call in the middle of the night. I literally don’t remember ever hearing the phone ring in the middle of the night. It just didn’t happen.

So, in the wee hours of the morning, the phone rings:

me: Hello?

caller: Let me talk to Marty.

me: <pause> uh <pause> it’s 2am and everyone is asleep. <pause> Who is this?

caller: This is Harlan Ellison. Go wake him up.

me: <pause> ok

I take the phone with me and go to the bedroom that Martin and Sally were sleeping in (which happened to be my bedroom, because the bed was big enough for both of them) and wake them, saying I have “Harlan Ellison on the phone” and leave… so that happened.

I haven’t really told this story to many people, mostly because I don’t think many of the people I know would care, probably because they probably don’t know who any of the cast of characters in this story are.