Racing to finish this manuscript so that I can have it on my editor’s desk on Monday morning as promised. My parents arrive mid-day on Tuesday. Wednesday a.m. The Girl, my stepfather and I head up to the mountains for a few days of backpacking on the AT.
I don’t like to lie. I’m not good at it and it makes me uncomfortable, but I’m about to resort to it. Every day that I talk to them on the phone, my stepfather wants to know if my gear is all ready, if I have bought the Girl a new backpack. He’s retired military and things must be done on schedule and far in advance. It’s making him crazy that I haven’t done this yet and he’s making me crazy.
I HAVE TO FINISH THIS BOOK before I go. Bottom line. Monday morning, once I hit the send key and send the mss hurtling through cyberspace, I’ll pull out my gear. That afternoon I’ll trek over to Dick’s Sporting Goods and buy the Girl a pack and stock up on deyhdrated food and when I get home I’ll mapquest directions to the drop off points for our cars and clean my house in preperation for my mother staying here while we’re gone and make sure there is dog food and cat food in stock. That has to happen on Monday because short of some type of second-coming miracle, I’m not going to have this book finished and polished before then.
So, when I talk to them on the phone today or tomorrow or both, I will tell a bold-faced lie. I’ll perpetuate the myth that I’ve pulled my gear out of storage and purchased the Girl a cheap yet servicable backpack for the trip and we’ll be dining on dehydrated apple rings, lasagne, beef stroganoff, and spaghetti with power bars for lunch.:o It’s a small price to pay — my consicence for their piece of mind.
good luck
Comment by kim — June 3, 2006 @ 6:31 pm
thanks, Kim. I’m still workign toward finishing the book. As to the other, when push came to shove, I couldn’t manage to lie to them when we talked yesterday. :s
Comment by Jennifer — June 4, 2006 @ 5:37 am