My first couple years of college, I worked part time as an assistant to the "Tribbles" screenwriter (also author of many science fiction books and screenplays for other series) David Gerrold.
He had a home-based business a few blocks from my campus selling tribbles and various "original Star Trek/classic Trek" buttons, bumper stickers & other memorabilia and my job was to handle the orders/accounting/ etc....plus sew tribbles in 3 different sizes to fill orders. (He had other people sewing tribbles, too, but I was the buyer for the materials & supplied them.)
My younger brother used to help me stuff tribbles at home; to this day neither of us can look at any kind of fake fur without commenting, "THAT would make some cool tribbles!" or "Nah, seams would show, color doesn't work..." Many fun hours cruising the downtown LA fabric district for yards of "tribble fur". Last Christmas I revived that old skill set to make the deluxe "Pregnant Tribble" model for my grandson (big tribble with velcro opening and 4 baby tribbles inside). Wow, time does move on!
David became a good friend over the years but we kind of lost touch after I settled into my real career, got married, had kids, etc. I should probably surprise him with an out-of-nowhere holiday card or something; better not procrastinate, he's 10 years older than me so tick...tick...tick... Or better yet, send him a tribble!