Monday, August 18, 2008

Old sneakers, a borrowed car and a fresh watermelon...

So I wake up early, plenty of time to get where I need to be this Saturday morning and things start to go bad. First, because I moved into a new home, I have no hot water and I have to "prepare" my bath--you know--like they did in the wild west? I let some cold water run, partially filling the tub and then dump buckets of hot water to balance the temperature. Then, like Billy the Kid in Young Guns I jump up realizing I can't remember where--or if--we unpacked the iron!!!

I have to be at my book signing in Hudson Oaks with my new friend, Randy Cook, owner of Lark Bookstore by 11:30AM. I towel dry, lay my clothes out and (as if realizing you walk into your appointment looking like you slept in your clothes isn't bad enough) I realized the ONLY shoes I have at the new home are my old sneakers. The same ones I coach baseball in...

I scramble to call my wife, who isn't easy to get in touch with this Saturday morning because we canceled her previous phone service just Friday night, opting to consolidate plans and save money. But that phone won't be here til Tuesday and I can't find her!!! I call my sister who happens to work with her and (guess what?) she isn't at work yet!!! She calls the office, tells someone to tell Michele to call me, all for an iron. How embarrassing right? Well, she calls and I find the iron and scramble to put my clothes in some sort of order. I put on some casual dress pants, a dress shirt (untucked) and yes, those dirty old sneakers. I'm just about ready to head out, I'm hungry but I don't want to eat before this engagement and I am on my fourth cup of coffee. So, in my "scrambling" to get ready I look like a crack-head trying to find keys to a car he doesn't own. Found the keys, grabbed my smokes, a lighter, some cash (coined currency by the way because should I sell some books, I want to offer correct change) and my copies of "Proud Souls."

So here I am coming out the house, a box of books in my hand, dress pants, sneakers and a pocket full of change. I can't help but laugh and remember Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld) lugging pockets full of change to the local pizzeria to get some calzones for George Costanza. Anyhow, my other sister comes by to see how the kiddos are doing and I tell her they stayed with my cousin Johnny on account Michele and I both had somewhere to be this morning. She is just about to leave when I realize--MY TRUCK WON'T START! Of all the rotten days for my truck to quit working, it's this one! I flag her down (see the coins jingling in the pocket of my dress pants? Thank goodness I am wearing running shoes) and she comes to my rescue. It's 10:00AM and I need to be in Hudson Oaks by at least 11:00AM.

Okay, because of the move, I can't find my receipt book. So, its off to Dollar General which happens to be one block from my house. But, guess what? Yep, they don't carry receipt books, at least not at the Richland Hills location. My sister is filling up the car with gas next door, so (again with dress pants, pocket full of change and running shoes) I hurry next door to tell her I am losing my mind!!!

We stop by my old house, I run in, get my dress shoes and off we go to her home to drop her off so I can borrow the car. It's 10:30AM and I just know I'm going to blow it! I'm constantly checking my pockets because first of all, I hate things in my pockets and secondly, rattling of the change is making me nervous. I look in the backseat and there's a watermelon. My sister tells me she grew it in her garden, although it looks like a large squash with a crooked neck. She then said she only stopped by my house on the way to my mom and dad's house to deliver the watermelon. I tell her we can't do it now--we must press on! She is concerned...concerned that the watermelon will rot in the backseat. You know, with the heat and all? The only thing I can say is: They grow outside in the sun...it should be okay.

So, its 10:45AM and I wave good-bye to my sister, she wishes the watermelon well and with dress shoes now, a wrinkled shirt and pants and a pocket full of change, I am off to Hudson Oaks for my book signing. Oh wait! The receipt book!!!

I stop at the Wal-Mart right across the shopping center where the book signing will be. I run in (with dress shoes this time) and find the perfect one. I buy the receipt book and smoke one cigarette and chew about five pieces of gum to settle my nerves. My stomach is growling and I tell myself--three more hours and I can eat and it's all over with. I walk in the front door to the bookstore at exactly 11:20 AM.

***

Two hours later I was heading to Boo Ray's cajun cuisine with my very good friends David and Nancy Siron. They treated me to lunch because with the amount of money I made on a 60/40 split of ONE $18.00 dollar book (sold)...I would be better off eating the watermelon.

To the gentleman who bought Proud Souls...Had I known the day would have turned out like that, I would have given it to you. But thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all your support. I truly hope you enjoy the story...


For all of you aspiring writers out there...it be's like that sometimes...

~Bobby Ozuna
"Drawing Stories...With Words"
www.BobbyOzunaOnline.com

10 comments:

Unknown said...

While reading, I am smiling along with your adventures or should I say misadventures that Saturday morning for the main reason that there's one great humor to it... Good luck to you Proud Soul!

Zulmara said...

what a wonderfully proud soul you are...and brave, and isnpiring, nad wonderful...need I go on

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

Bobby Ozuna said...

Gylyn:
Thanks a ton for the well-wishes...it took me a few days to get over the whole ordeal...I felt like the star of a hidden reality show because nothing would go right....
Thanks for the support!!!

Bobby Ozuna said...

Zulmara:
As always...thanks for the support. I think you are my only fan...

Thank you for being here...when I try to find reasons to stop writing.

Mia said...

Hey Little Brother,

Your email title caught my eye this morning when I read "Old sneakers, a borrowed car and a fresh watermelon.. I thought, oh he's writing about his younger years..but as I read along, you had me laughting because that was a crazy morning and you described your appearence to the button, I will never forget those old sneakers. Ha, ha. Oh, and ofcourse watching you drive off with my watermelon in the back seat of my car. Love you, your Little Big Sister Vickie

Bobby Ozuna said...

I've been working on some pride issues for the past several weeks, trying to improve my mannerisms when dealing with people...so with that said, let me say this again:
Thank you so much for being there for me, right when I needed you.

Love,
Your little big brother,
~Bobby

Ken said...

Reading your blog reminds me of the agony and the ectasy which Michelangelo experienced in creating the Sistine Chapel. Most great artists have a tortured soul. Although I empathize with your pain, it is that same pain which is a catalyst for great art. We, your readers, benefit from your pain. I look forward to your next novel.

Bobby Ozuna said...

Ken:
Thank you so much for your comments. You are right, the readers of my works--my stories, blogs and novels--do benefit from the agony we suffer as writers to produce this material. But as I have said before: It doesn't make it any easier on the soul.
I will not quit because of people like you...people who care enough to say the right words when I (we as artists) need to hear it the most.
Thank you for the support.

simply...lilli! said...

oh my ... I absolutely love this! I couldn't help but smile all over ... I guess I shouldn't as I think it probably wasn't quite so funny while it happened ... but you have a terrific and hilarious way of describing the whole thing. Thanks for sharing!

Bobby Ozuna said...

Lilli:
Haha...I had no idea so many people were going to "laugh with me" instead of at me!!! I can't say why, but for stupid (pride bearing) reasons, I have stayed away from my more humorous side with relation to my blog posts...hoping (I guess) that people might take me more serious if I wasn't so much the class clown I was born to be... If that makes any sense.

I have always been one to look back and laugh at all the silly things I have done in my life--and there are millions--but the past few years I have strayed away from that....

They say if you want an effective blog, then you have to utilize (FIRST AND FOREMOST) that thing which is only yours...and for me, it is honesty and sincerity and a little humor...

I think I will share more of myself in the coming blogs...especially in relation to my next book: The Other Side of Glory. So many things I experienced in the Marine Corps will be applied to my characters in this novel...and many are funny...so I suppose now I am going to start laying out my dirty laundry!

Thanks for posting!

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