By Vicki Scott
Today is the day my package of copies of my book are scheduled to arrive. As I sit at my front window facing the mailbox, I can see everyone who drives by. I checked my order online at least three times a day since July 15, and this morning the package left Gadsden at 8:04 a.m. I have a few finishing touches to do on the scrapbook that I plan to present to my mom with the first copy of my first book, She Made a Difference, Anyway! A Tribute to My Mom. I will do that later, though, as I might miss my delivery.
Finishing this book has been a goal for approximately eight years. There have been many times I thought I saw light at the end of the tunnel to accomplishing this goal, only to discover that the light was a lot further away than I anticipated. It is unbelievable how many times I corrected my book after I sent it in to be published. Even now, as I glance over the proof copy of my book, I find mistakes or things I could have worded better. Hopefully, my editors will forgive me. I just pray when people read my book, they can overlook any mistakes and understand the honor I am trying to portray toward my mom. I found that my book has been ordered by more people than just me. This makes me nervous, because I do not know these people and they do not know me. I pray they are blessed, anyway.
My dear, patient husband has made his presence felt several times in this room in plopping himself down on the couch and blocking my view of the mailbox. Alan will sit there quietly for a few minutes and then say he hears a truck coming and watch me look over his head out the window. He thinks he is so funny. Nice guy. He’s taken, ladies! Today was supposed to be a workday, but he found someone to work for him. I tried to act excited but all I could think was that he would see me watching for the mail truck like a desperate needy person.
Probably due to boredom, Alan went for a ride and gave me a break for a little while. He then came back to tell me a saw the mail truck. I asked him if he stopped them and ask for my package and he just looked at me funny. I guess it would be tough to balance my books on his motorcycle and drive back. Better safe than loaded down with books. I would not want my books to get damaged, right?
This might come as a shock, but I did the same thing when the proof of my book was en route. I left work early and checked my mailbox to see if the mail had run. I waited and watched by the window on the couch until it was time to cook supper. I still kept checking the mailbox periodically in an attempt to catch the postal carrier with my package. I could hear a car horn from inside the house, so the challenge was on.
When Alan came in from work, he was carrying the mail with the dreaded orange slip of paper saying that I had a package and could pick it up at the post office the next day. I was devastated – I missed the mail delivery.
This would be comical for someone who is not me. I looked up to catch Alan checking outside for the mail truck. That was so sweet! He decided to go for another ride, only to turn around and come back to tell me the mail truck was just down the road, one block over. While trying not to seem even more desperate, I looked outside to see Alan propped on the back part of his truck looking toward the mailbox.
I went outside. Alan claimed to be waiting for his air compressor to finish pumping up his motorcycle tire. He then said the mail truck had just passed our house and would be on its way back in a few minutes.
Our dog Sandy thought that since I was outside, I was supposed to walk her. She was in a tizzy and would not stop barking until I walked her. It was a very short walk, enough to meet the mailman as he pulled up. Miraculously, Alan was there to carry my package to the house. The mailman said it was a little heavy.
It is still hard to believe that I have a book out there with my name on it. Everything about the book has meaning. It is lime green, mom’s favorite color and the color of her car. One red rose is on the cover because she said don’t send her any flowers, just one red rose. The part about me on the back cover is very small print. My book is a tribute to my mom, not me. The content of the book is in large print, making it an easy read for everyone. The print is sideways and diagonal on the cover. I like to write like that. If I made it straight, I would feel normal. Who is normal?
I praise God for all the opportunities that came together to produce this book. I also praise God that Alan was able to get someone to take his place at work and was here to wait with me. That light at the end of the tunnel still seems so far away. Now, I need to call and nail down a date to present this project, my first book and a tribute to my mom. When I know the date, invitations to a book signing are in order and preparations for a surprise presentation will ensue.
How far can that light be? My books are here! Wow! Thanks for all y’all’s prayers! Please keep praying!