Gather around kids, and hear the tale of a clumsy girl who went shopping at a store called Meijer. Anyone from the Chicago/Milwaukee area knows Meijer is a superstore, basically like a Wal-Mart but a little nicer. I was there this morning, stocking up on food and snacks for my lock-in this weekend--Hubby and kids left at 4am this morning for Florida to visit his parents, which means I have three whole days of freedom in which I will hunker down in my house and edit the hell out of my new book, and that obviously calls for some snackage.
Anyway, arrive at Meijer, get my cart--a crappy one with a wobbly wheel of course--and head over to the book section, which is always my first stop. I'm perusing, checking out what's new, minding my own business, when I see that at the end of the book section,they have some of the shelves moved around and curtains up, doing some construction. Construction that apparently required them to run a cable all along the floor. As luck would have it, when I reach the end of the aisle, the wobbly wheel on my crappy cart gets stuck on the tape they used to tack down the cable so no one would trip over it. I am pushing and pulling trying to get it loose from the tape, which somehow was able to wind itself around the wheel. I realize the only way to get it free is to snap the tape, which I do by shoving on the cart. It works, however the cart slips out of my hand and goes flying into one of the polls holding up the curtain, and slamming into a guy on the other side who was sitting on a folding chair reading one of the magazines. This poor sap was scared out of his mind, and nearly falls out of the chair, but at the last moment was able to grab on to one of the book shelves and avoid hurting himself, thank God. I apologize, he laughs and says don't worry about it, I make a stupid joke about the tape, he's says not to worry, and I leave, tail between my legs.
I finish shopping, pay for my stuff, and make my way toward the exit, where I see two store workers putting up a huge sign that says:
Book Signing Today!
10-12 & 1-3
Followed by a huge picture... of the guy I ran over with my cart.
That's right folks, I ran over bestselling author, Christopher Paolini with my shopping cart. There was no construction, they were setting up for a signing, and Mr. Paolini was hiding, waiting for it to start. Had I not seen the picture I would have never known, though it did explain the twenty-odd Inheritance book displays all over the store...
Christopher, if you happen to go back to your hotel tonight and google, 'chick who ran me over' and come across this, I am very, very sorry.
Anyway, that's how my day is going, how's yours?
That is great! Maybe you will end up in a book! :-)
ReplyDeleteIs he really as young as he looks?
You know, I'm not sure. I don't know how old he actually is, but he looked to be in his mid to late thirties. He does have something of a baby face though. Very cute, if I do say so... :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! That sounds like the beginning of a really good book, lol ;o)
ReplyDeleteOh, and we have Meijers all over Michigan too (and I think the northern part of Ohio?).
I've been seeing that book EVERYWHERE lately. Must be something special...well, either that or his publishing house has one hell of a publicity department ;o)
Yeah, I've seen the other books in the series, and have always wanted to check them out as they are probably pretty good. If I wasn't so embarrassed, I would have gone back and gotten a copy! :)
ReplyDelete