My friend Judy says that I’ve never met a stranger. And I guess I must admit that’s true.

In the 1980s, I was honored to work at the Salk Institute in La Jolla. I was awed to be sitting in on a meeting that not only included Dr. Jonas Salk but also Wally Schirra, astronaut.

I sat like a little mouse in the corner trying to concentrate on taking notes, but all the while I was thinking, “Gee … Jonas Salk” and “Gee … Wally Schirra.” Who woulda thunk it.

Later that year, the Salk Institute had an event at SeaWorld. It was set up in various white tents.

I was at the hors d’oeuvres table and glanced up and saw Wally Schirra next to me.

I can’t even imagine what coloring my hair the night before would have to do with anything, but the next thing I knew, I was saying, “And I don’t know why, but it turned out really red this time.”

I don’t remember what he said — probably something like, “Oh, it doesn’t look that bad,” all the while thinking “Who the heck is this Looney Tune?”

But what I do remember is that we walked outside together to cross over to the next white tent, and as the sunlight hit my very red hair, he said, “Wow! It IS red!”

To this day I wish I had asked him what it was like being up in outer space. But alas, my little pea brain centered on “my hair is too red.”

When I was ushering for the play “The Roger Miller Story” (remember “King of the Road”?), there was a woman sitting in the lobby. I walked up and started talking to her. I don’t remember specifically about what — probably about the color of my hair and how it turned out too red.

As I’m chatting away, I decided I should introduce myself as in, “Hi, my name is Diane.” And she said, “My name is Mary … Mary Miller.”

Yes, she wrote the play and was Roger Miller’s wife.

And yet, there was one time that I was left utterly speechless. I was in Dr. Salk’s office area trying to rehang a beautiful painting by his wife and was perched precariously against a table when I heard, “May I help you?”

It was Dr. Salk and, yes, I was actually at a loss for words.

So, Judy, you’re not entirely spot-on in saying, “Yup … Diane … she’s never met a stranger.”

Diane Duray is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at [email protected].