So 3 years ago I was in Granada during the poetry festival with a group of foreigners. We were having a dandy time when one of our friends rolls up and starts talking about this author who she had seen give a speech and then she even got to take a pic with her. I was excited and more than a bit jealous. I start to make my way to the street when my friend tries to talk me out of going to find her b/c "she's long gone by now and you will never find her". so i gave up before i even started. a few beers later we all agreed to go to one of the swanky restaurants in that town. The only room left was the foyer area but my friends were set on eating there. the entrees were upwards of 8 dollars which was way to rich for my blood (in nica that is a small fortune). anyway, as we are waiting on the waiter to arrive I made my way back to the restroom and on the way i spied the author. WHAT LUCK! By the time I made it back to the table my mouth was dry and my palms were sweaty. I was star struck for the first time in my life.
The next hour I spent at the bar by myself sipping a half glass of nothing, trying to figure out the words to say to go up and talk to this lady. She was in her mid 60s and looked like the nice mom type. But in my mind she was the Latina version of Indiana Jones. I got to know everyone of the wait staff in that hour, and they all had a good laugh about the "white kid who is scared to talk to the middle aged Nica lady"
Finally I got the courage and I walked up to her table and inquired if she was indeed who I thought she was and she said "yes". Then I asked if she would mind if I got a picture with her and she said "After we finish eating."
Turns out that rejection is always painful. ha!
But before the night was up I got my pic! ...
Fast forward 3 years.
I'm in my garden across town on a Saturday morning and I get a call on the phone from a potential volunteers mother letting me know that she was on my front door step of the volunteer house and wanted to come in and talk about her daughter coming to join us for a part of the summer. I told her the house was empty and that I wouldn't be able to see her that day - it was only 30 seconds notice after all. So she went home and we scheduled to meet up the next week. The next week arrives and I am again in the garden and she along with her husband and daughter show up 30 minutes early. Dang! Covered in sweat and dirt I hop on my bike and head over to the volunteer house. As I arrived and saw who was waiting on my door step the only words out of my mouth were "your a writer" And she said yes. Then I said "You probably don't remember but we've met before." What a small world we live in!
Off to the garden.
