What's In The Name? When Ruskin Bond Signed Autograph On Behalf Of Mark Twain

Beloved writer Ruskin Bond, 91, is no stranger to awkward fan meets. In a new video, he recalled how some of his young readers and fans have confused him for other famous writers and how he has never shied away from such comparisons and plays along. Bond, who lives out of Landour, shared how a young reader came to him seeking his autograph as he believed he was the celebrated American novelist and writer Mark Twain.

Also read: 7 Rare Cat Breeds That You May Not Know About

"Friends, readers and country men, that's a nice way to address you. Have a good day. I was having a funny day as I was recollecting some of the odd things that have happened to my name over the years. I have been writing for over 70 years now, books, stories and articles and sometimes readers get me mixed with other writers. Not long ago, a foreigner mother brought her boy to meet me. She said, 'My son is very keen to meet you because he reads your books in class. He wants your autograph in his album'. I said 'I'm very pleased to know that', and asked him 'What is the name of the book, son?' He said Tom Sawyer. I like Tom Sawyer too. I signed Mark Twain in his album and he was quite happy and his mother too. They went away with the autograph," Bond recalled in his signature style.

Also read: 7 Rare Flowers That Bloom Once In A Lifetime

Bond also said that he has been confused with Rudyard Kipling often, and fans ask him to write "another Mowgli story". But, he laments that he has not been confused with Shakespeare ever. "Over the years, I have been asked to write another Mowgli story. Its amazing the people I get mixed up with. I didn't get mixed up with Shakespeare but very amazing incident happened in the Cambridge Book Depot in Mussoorie. I went there to sign a few books. A little boy came tagging along with his mother. But he threw a tantrum. When he was told that he could have my autograph, he said, 'I don't want Ruskin Bond's autograph. I want Shakespeare's autograph'. They reasoned with him and said, 'Shakespeare wasn't available that day. He was still recovering from something. Sorry we cant give you Shakespeare's autograph, but we can give you Ruskin Bond's autograph'. The mother tried to console him with ice cream. I would have gladly signed Shakespeare for him but he didn't give me chance. Those are some of the funny things that have happened to my name. I prefer being related to James Bond or Brooke Bond but that's another story," he added.