That would be cool! But also a disappointment.

I've always read it under the assumption it isn't true - but that it's such a wonderful story Im going ot pretend it is anyway :)

Someone on the previous thread did some good research. I believe it's golden. Yes, RD does occasionally publish fiction but I believe, without heading to my city library's microfiche archives, that it is true.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=591165

"3 points by gry 289 days ago | link

Seems on the up and up to me. Originally published in 1955 in the Reader's Digest by Jerome Weidman.

The table of contents are highlighted in this eBay posting, corroborating the byline."

Updated Ebay auction search for November 1955 Reader's Digest, see the TOC image from [updated] ebay listing:

"The Night I Met Einstein by Jerome Weidman . . . . . .61

http://cgi.ebay.com/Readers-Digest-November-1955_W0QQitemZ38...

Yes, the story was a winner of Reader's Digest's "First Person" story award - for unique, _true_ personal experiences. See page 214 of the Nov 1955 edition of Reader's Digest for more details.