I will try to keep this short and sweet (although ds asked if I need a larger hat size yet).
I went to chorus last night for the first time in more than a month (no scheduling conflicts for me or the director). One of the ladies had been cutting out my column and saving them for me, so she gave me a couple last night. I stuck them in my ever-present book so they wouldn't get rumpled or mangled.
From there I went to volunteer at the Springfield Performing Arts Center for David Sedaris presentation - he of NPR and literary fame (Me Talk Pretty Some Day; Barrel Fever; Naked; and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim).
As soon as I walked in, one of the floor managers stopped and said she had been reading my column and how much she was enjoying it. Thanks, Clara!
I was a ticket taker. I saw several former colleagues who commented about enjoying the column. Thanks!
Close to curtain time, I took someone's ticket and while I bent the stub to rip it off the ticket, she said, "Don't you write a column in the paper?" (My picture is at the top of the column - and I hoped I looked better than that last night). Yes, I do!
I'd been recognized!!!!!!!
We talked briefly and it turns out she plays harp and evidently gives lessons - I know how to contact her.
At the end of the show, I stood in line to get Mr. Sedaris's signature in a couple of books. I had on the required volunteer vest and cloth flower and name tag.
Clara stood at the end of the table and watched as Sedaris looked up at me and said, "What do you do?"
I thought, OH, MY! Do I tell him about the column? I looked at Clara who was grinning.
It took me so long to answer that he clarified, obviously noting the attire, "Did you usher?" I told him what I'd taken tickets.
Clara then chimed in, "She writes a column for our paper."
"OH!! Really? What's it about?"
I told him I was emulating Erma Bombeck and then I remembered the columns in my book which I had in my hands. I took them out to show him.
He asked if he could keep them!
Now, how many writer's just happen to have a copy of their work on them? Doesn't that seem pretentious?
I guess it's no different from parent's and grandparent's boring others with kid's pictures or vacation videos.
