At last – longish last – I am in possession of two physical copies of Autumn Bird And The Runaway. This particular journey is over.
I am holding the books in front of a coffee shop near the Scholastic offices. Hard-working Anne took several pictures and suggested I use this one. I may not look like much here, but the sun dappling is pleasant, and in the other shorts I look, respectively, cross-eyed, bug-eyed, and sun dried.
While Anne and I were chatting and sipping (Scholastic expense accounts run all the way to author café au lait) a homeless guy walked up to us and pointed.
“It’s been a long time since I read a book,” he said. “Could I have that one?”
Far too quickly, I said, “Sorry. I just got these and they’re my only ones.”
He wandered away and I felt mean. I had two copies and he had none. I should have shared.
Also I felt that I’d missed a chance. Giving to the needy is a great prayer, a physical manifestation of “from your lips to God’s ears.”
Also, he might have enjoyed the story.
Oh well. Serve me right. One of these days I'll get the rest of my author copies.
And meanwhile I'll keep working on my next project.
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