2/23/19 RMB Nudged

2/23/19 RMB Nudged

Dear Rita Mae Brown,

The new year has stormed in, literally. What started as a fall full of welcome rain, has turned into a winter deluge. My heart goes out to those badly affected by the storms nationwide. My friend the Sun, “Grandfather” to Teddy who follows Native American traditions, is shining brightly today, a most joyous site.

I apologize for the lapse in letters. I have no good reason for it, other than life itself. It seems to fill up days until they become weeks and then months. You have been on my mind, despite or maybe because of, the lack of letters.

I’ve read about your happenings in the news, new books, talks, and so forth. I believe your most recent publication is Whiskers in the Dark. Your ability to turn out entertaining book after book amazes me.

The accounting guru at our small publishing company came in with a 2 x 2 square inch of paper a few weeks ago. Handing me the crossword puzzle of the day, she said, “I saved this for you”. The answer to one clue was “Rita Mae Brown”.

You would think that might nudge me to write, but words had not gathered to form a letter yet.  The next day, I was driving along minding my own business, when the license plate ahead nudged me again, “VIRGINIA” it said, big and bold.

In California, license plates from other states are common, although normally not from so far away. I planned to tell my friend Carol about the second nudge when we went for our walk in the park that evening. Before I had the chance, we passed a young man wearing a black sweatshirt with large bright bold white letters reflecting the evening’s lamplight, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”.

I explained the license plate and passing the shirt proclaiming the title of your first book collaboration with Sneaky Pie Brown. She had noticed the shirt too. Okay, I thought to the Universe, message received.

However, the Universe wasn’t done playing. Carol accompanied me on a book delivery to Cabrillo National Monument the next day, where we enjoyed our daily walk during a rare beak from the rain. On the way to our car afterwards, we passed another VIRGINIA license plate. We both laughed.  

To cap it off, we as we were driving home, we looked at the license plate on the car in front of us at the same time and rang out with “VIRGINIA!” simultaneously.

Message received, letter written, most sincerely,

Loraine