I'm getting down to the wire here on the new book, both in terms of writing and also finishing up having the experiences about which I need to write.
The latter's going better than the former, as, obviously, it's way more tempting to have an adventure than to catalog it.
This weekend was chock-full of documentable occurrences, like trying foods from previously untasted countries in the company of good friends, attending a benefit and meeting new people, reading classic literature (am finding Faulkner un-put-downable, whereas last week's Welty made me want to kill self/others), hitting a book signing, watching a fascinating documentary, drinking great wine with my husband, and otherwise enjoying the gorgeous - albeit premature - fall weather.
And yet, as collectively lovey as the above happenings were, none of these events entailed best moment of the weekend, which was...
Setting: The car, in the parking lot at Grand and Ogden, Saturday afternoon.
Me: I don't want any coffee, but, hey! There's a Jimmy John's right next to Starbucks! You get coffee and I'm going to get a sandwich.
Fletch: Don't get a sandwich.
Me: But if I eat before we go to the grocery store, we won't come back with six kinds of bread like last time.
Fletch: Don't get a sandwich.
Me: Why not?
Fletch: It'll make a huge mess.
Me: Oh. Well, okay...
(pause)
Me: Hey! Wait a minute. This is my car. I picked it out, I paid for it, and my name's on the title. Remember we had this conversation at the dealership? I specifically laid out the rule, which was if I want to eat in MY car, you're not allowed to forbid it.
Fletch: I'm not forbidding anything; I'm just saying it's a bad idea. You're going to get shredded lettuce everywhere.
Me: And I think it's the best idea I ever had. I'll meet you back here in five minutes.
Thus, as we cruised up to the nice Fresh Market up in Wilmette, he sipped his coffee and I enjoyed the best goddamned sandwich of my life.
Of course, Fletch drove my car today so he could drop it off at the hand-wash detailing place.
Apparently it's in need of a thorough vacuuming.














