Daniel Keyes, author of the classic short story “Flowers for Algernon” as well as the best-selling novel that followed, died Sunday at age 86. He deserves accolades not just for the tale itself, but also for his determination to resist those who wanted him to turn its tragic ending into an upbeat one, a change which would have robbed the story of its power.

I was privileged to have met him in 2000 when I was Toastmaster at that year’s Nebula Awards weekend, where he was presented with SFWA’s Author Emeritus award.

When I learned earlier today of his passing, I suddenly remembered that though I had a recording of that night and had previously shared with you the presentation of the Best Short Story, Best Novella, and Best Novel awards, as well as my introduction of then-president Paul Levinson and my singing of an Elvis standard, I had never uploaded any video of Keyes being given that honor.

Sadly, it’s now time to correct that omission. Watch as he explains how the character of Charlie Gordon came to be …

“P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard.”

R.I.P. Daniel Keyes.

I just ran across a 2005 post which appeared at The Comics Reporter site in which comic-book personalities were asked to share famous industry events at which they wish they’d been flies on the wall, such as “Sit in on a Lee/Kirby or Lee/Ditko plotting session, circa 1963” and “Joe and Jerry signing the contract to give Superman to DC.”

Which got me thinking—what science-fiction events would I have wanted to witness as a fly on the wall? Here are the first five that came to mind:

The discussion in which Astounding editor John W. Campbell, Jr. inspired Isaac Asimov to create his classic story “Nightfall.”

Jack Williamson’s face at the newsstand that day in 1928 upon seeing his creature from “The Metal Man” illustrated on the cover of Amazing and realizing that he must have made his first fiction sale—only no one had bothered to tell him!

The screening George Lucas held for friends such as Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palma of a rough cut of Star Wars before the special effects were laid in.

Don Wollheim, Frederik Pohl, Cyril Kornbluth and others as they were being ejected from the first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939 by Sam Moskowitz and Will Sykora as part of one of the earliest fan feuds.

Daniel Keyes bringing the manuscript of “Flowers for Algernon” over to the apartment of Horace Gold, and listening as the agoraphobic editor of Galaxy told him that he needed to change the ending to make it more upbeat.

I can think of many other moments I’d like to have witnessed. How about you?