If you go to an airport, they will now ask you the following question: "Do you have any liquids in your bag?" I got up at 5:45 in the morning to catch a flight and, bleary-eyed and half-caffeinated, found I was having difficulties with basic comprehension. I was asked the 'liquid' question by the guy who took me to the automated check-in, and then by the woman behind the counter at automated check-in, and then again by the lady to whom I voluntarily relinquished my water. Three times, I answered, "No." After all that, the woman at the scanner shook her head as my bag went through and then security took me aside. As I was well aware ? but simply not processing ? my carry-on bag is chock full of liquids of varying viscosities (toothpaste and shaving cream, margarita mix, saline implants, snow globes, etc). When I pointed out to the nice security lady that it was very early in the day for me (too early for thinking), the security lady made it clear that, just because she was wearing the white shirt and clip-on tie, it doesn't mean it wasn't early for her too.
I had a grand old time at the reading last night (that is, afterward, seeing old friends). It's amazing who shows up when you're out on the road. I got to see no less than two Boston-based Shoshanas, as well as a bunch of other folks I hadn't seen in years. Then there are the readers. This is absolutely syrupy and sincere, but I forgot how many kindly people you meet on book tour. Last night and elderly woman came up to get her book signed. She told me that she'd been sick these last six months, and lives across the street, and hadn't really been out. She showed me her cane and said that when she heard I was reading she dug it out and decided to make her way across the street and down the flight of stairs to the event. That's it. That's the whole story. (Except that she made me give her a hug too.) I don't know what to add really, except that I didn't do anything to deserve this effort, but that hearing about it made my day. When I told her so, when I said, "Thank you so much. That makes my whole day," she didn't believe it for a second ? which made me like her even more.