James Bond Radio listener Simon Uskuri tells the tale of his meeting with Sir Roger Moore at his “My Word Is My Bond” book signing at the National Theatre, London. Funnily enough, Chris and I were at that very same event. Chris behaved like a gentleman, whereas I was escorted away by security for trying to get my Live & Let Die poster signed despite being told multiple times that he was only signing the book…*sigh* – Tom

They say never meet your heroes. I think that phrase was coined by somebody who didn’t actually have the opportunity to meet their hero!

October 16, 2008. The day had arrived. Not only was it my day of birth, (if I’m honest that was a minor issue), far more importantly it was SIR ROGER MOORE DAY!!! The day I had been fantasising about since I was old enough to put on a pompous English accent and order fine wines and make conversation about cheese! This wasn’t the first time I thought I was going to meet Sir Rog! That day in question (when Sir Rog was just plain old Rog), was back in late 1999. Roger was getting his OBE from Her Majesty for being a God (or services to UNICEF) I can never really remember which!

I was in a speeding car on the motorway. In reliving this tale I imagine I was driving a classic white 1962 Volvo P1800 or a banana/gold painted 1970’s Aston Martin DBS. My hands prized on the steering wheel firmly as I’m speeding along. While darting round corners, I catch sight of myself in the rear-view mirror, I can see my eyebrows navigating either left or right (true Roger Moore fashion – It’s less of a ‘Tom, Tom’ more of a ‘Rog, Rog’ you could say), heading towards London on route to see my estranged father. In reality I was a passenger, my mum’s friend was driving, I was only 15 and my father was in hospital after having a heart attack. This felt like a big day, not seeing my birth father but seeing my dream father, the ideal self, the role model that I had been deprived of for so long.

I was in a constant daydream – dreaming about the moment that I see him and he walks over to me and says, “It’s okay, don’t worry, it starts to happen to you now, your saved!”

And then together we both look up and centimetres above our heads, a white circle appears followed by the opening bars of the Saint theme building to it’s crescendo around us….

Sadly we didn’t meet that day, but I didn’t lose hope, I knew it would happen again. That opportunity came while sitting in the National Theatre, London, clapping my hands together (so loudly that it masks the dramatic beats of my heart), as I stare straight at a muffled image of Sir Roger Moore. I have never been this close to him and the best bit is yet to come. I join the queue to meet and get my book signed by Rog! (I understand this sounds very stalker-ish but I am a fan…I do also understand that stalkers would use the same argument. You’ll have to trust me, Saints honour!)

As I am standing in the queue, which feels as long as the 9 years it took to reach this moment, my fellow Persuader’s voice sounds like it’s under water. I’m not registering him or any other voice in that queue. I am visualising the moment that our two souls meet and we become united. As the queue moves, the moment is getting closer- it’s almost time! What am I going to say? I’ve been planning this moment for a long time.

Do I thank him? Ask for friendship? Tell him about my Roger Moore doll? The fact that I used to talk like him (of course when I say ‘used to’ I only stopped doing it five minutes ago). Tell him about the fact that from the ages of 13-16, I was dressing like a 70 year old man in an attempt to be him? I was the youngest boy in M&S! He was my idol, I even planned that he would be at my wedding, my best friend! This is a lifetime we have been together, and the moment is here where I can see him! There is the famous Sir Simon Templar…