"Well, Yes and No"...

This was my reply to a fellow writer who asked if I'd sold any copies of my book at Richie's annual American Airlines Retirees Lunch Monday 1/21/19   held at the Number #1 Buffet, Hawthorne in Lawndale.

To be truthful, three years ago, I got severe food poisoning there and in between trips to the Ladies vowed I would never go there again.  And I didn't.

But three years ago, I didn't have a book to push.  Anything for a buck.  I put 10 books in a smart little gift bag and set up my display at my place in the booth.  And gingerly went scouting for something to eat that wouldn't put me in the hospital.  In for a penny; in for a pound.

Many of Richie's old mates asked me if I was still writing? and I gestured to my mini-book table more or less as a reply and they said, "That's nice...Richie did you hear from so-and-so?" and away they would go.

When I noticed that there would be a raffle, I volunteered a copy of my book.  And when the raffle rolled out, Richie won my book.  He promptly gave it back.

Still and all it was good publicity exposure for it to an unlikely at best audience.  The organizer said there 45 in attendance.

Lunch, back slapping greetings, earnest expressions to be there next year all concluded, we headed home or so I thought.  Instead Himself pulled up at the front door of Suzy's, more or less our home pub, and went in for a beer.  

The only other customers were three or four people at a table across the room and a guy at the bar where we pulled up stools.  Richie is partial to sitting at the bar.  As civilized people do, we fell into conversation with that guy.  Come to find out he is a local artist, born in Ireland, barely any brogue left.  I said I was a writer and so Richie went out to the car and brought one in while he went to his car and brought in his portfolio which was  very interesting.  He's good.  His first name is Brian and I forgot his last which also begins with a B.

He said he wanted to buy a copy of the book but upon checking his pockets said that he didn't have $10 on him.  And I don't carry around a credit card machine.  But he really wanted it.  So I handed it over saying we would run into each other at Suzy's and he could pay me then.

So - in answer to "Did you sell any books?"  I'd have to reply, "Yes and no."