I’m trying to catch up with all the things that have been going on the last few days.  But a little about the weekend.

Friday morning, bright and early (up at 4:15 am) to catch my flight, but it turned out not to be a Delta flight, but Continental.  Only I didn’t know that until I’d gone through the labyrinthine line up to the check-in counter, where my Confirmation numbers didn’t work.  Finally got a human who said, “Oh, gee, you need to go to the next terminal.”  So I hightail it.  To find a line just as long as the previous line.  Getting a little nervous now with the time, but a representative says “Last call for the LA to Houston flight” and my hand flies in the air, “That’s me!” and they put me right up with a representative.  I’m apologizing, having had the wrong information, they process me, print out my tickets and I head for the next loooong line to go through security.  I’m standing in front of a security officer who may have seen that I was just getting my ticket, and I babble something, she reads the ticket and lets me in.  I made the flight. 

On board, there was this little bitty bowl of cereal offered.  Breakfast.  In Houston, I had 40 minutes to make the next flight, which was a few terminals away, not bad with the TerminaLink train, only the train was a ten minute walk.  Got there, they’re about to board, no food for Dave.  We landed in Mobile, I grabbed the one cab that was waiting and got downtown in time to sign 200 copies of the novel.  Then a brief respite before the cocktail party (I hadn’t eaten since the cereal, so I did not drink), where I met the most charming people, independent booksellers and more.  It was a grand time.  The microphone was a little iffy — only the second half of my talk was heard by those in the back — so I can safely say to you right now that I have NEVER given my speech better!  No one can contradict me. 

Went out to dinner with the gang, Allison, Maryann, Amy and Kirstin.  Felix’s.  Delicious.  Finally got some food in me.  Ahhhh. 

The next day was a visit to Fairhope and the bookstore Page and Palette.  A truly charming place on South Section Street, stop on by and say hi to Jennifer.  Then on to the airport — there were no planes there when I got there.  The flight landed soon after, off to Atlanta (we’re going the wrong way, people).  Another close scramble to the plane, and hey, it looks like we’re going to get away early, non-stop to Los Angeles, maybe home before my wife has gone to sleep. 

The captain comes on the PA system.  “Uh, folks.  There’s an aircraft stuck in Memphis with 250 people waiting to get to LA, and we’re going to make a quick little stop there.”  I’m thinking, What, are we the only plane with JUMPER CABLES?  Are we picking up passengers?  Do I have a choice here?  Turns out, we had to drop off a part so they could get on their way. 

I did get home late, and finally found my way to my bed at midnight… two minutes later (no exaggeration) my son came running in, “Dad, my stomach hurts, I think I’m going to throw up.” 

My wife hadn’t woken up when I came in and she didn’t wake up now.  So I sat with my buddy until his stomach felt better.  Thinking about the West Hollywood Book Fair panel that was going to happen the next day.

To be continued…