Friday afternoon I treated my honey to a coffee at Adelaide’s and as Barista Joel was working his steamy magic, he gestured toward the bookstore end of the building and said, “That man is buying your book.” Sure enough, among the stack of books that the very tall gentleman had at the cash register, the distinctive cover of North Beach Peninsula’s IR&N was clearly visible.
“I wonder if I should go over and offer to sign it?” I asked Nyel. “Or would it be too cheeky?”
He thought “too cheeky” but, after a few minutes’ hesitation, I decided to do it anyway which sort of goes to show how well I take advice, even from the love-of-my-life.
“I hope this doesn’t sound too forward,” said I, “but I’m the author of that railroad book you are buying and I thought maybe you’d like me to sign it.”
“Oh my gosh!” said his wife, “You’re Sydney Stevens! We have all of your books! And we get them as gifts and send them off to people on the east coast. We visit Oysterville every time we are on the Peninsula…”
And so the conversation went and, as far as I can tell, a new friendship has begun. Actually, at the rate we were jabbering and laughing and carrying on, you’d have thought we had known each other for eons! I, of course, was aglow with all their complimentary remarks and they, in turn, seemed pleased that I had approached them.
Lest my decaf-mocha grow cold and my date think he had been abandoned, I tore myself away. But already we have exchanged emails. Attached to theirs were some lovely photos of Oysterville. The one of ‘our’ lane, taken in the Spring of 2009 is especially cheering on this drippy morning – the promise of things to come, including a new friendship!
How fortunate you are to have grabbed the opportunity and I am sure they are terribly pleased as well!