Catching Idle Butterflies

Sometimes it's hard to be humble

Before I go into my newest rant, I would like you to read "Too excited to eat . . . and that's excited!" .

Well, the newspaper article came out today. I knew it even before I showed up for work since Derri emailed me to let me know last night.

I decided to say nothing. I didn't want to seem like I was bragging and overall make a nuisance of myself by telling everyone I appeared in the newspaper, photo and all. Boy, was that like telling a dog not to drool when you through a raw stake at his feet!

What surprised me the most was receiving a long distance phone call from one of our clients who had read the article in a different city and even promised to send me a copy. A gal at the grocery store deli that I buy lunch at almost every day said when she first saw me, “Hey, it’s the movie star! Can I get your autograph?”

All pretense of humility flittered away (actually grabbed by the throat and choked to death). I purchased two newspapers, one for me and the other for my mother. (I figured I’m allowed to brag to my mom in all circumstances).

When I got back to work, I pulled out the page and showed everyone, grinning the whole time as I watched them read it. I waited impatiently for their inevitable giggles at the wit I displayed during the interview, and of course their congratulations when they finished reading.

During my entire 45 seconds of fame, a little voice kept telling me to not get too excited. So I wrote 50,000 words in 29 days. Thousands of others did the same, and in fact many did by far better than I did. Nor was I the only one interviewed, but three others as well. My picture appeared apparently because I was the only one who allowed my picture to be taken.

I’m also certain many other cities interviewed other NaNoWriMo participants. I’m not a movie star, or even a newspaper star. I was simply part of a larger story: what National Novel Writing Month is all about and how my experience compared to other participants. The writer picked me only because I agreed to an interview.

Really, what’s so special about that?