I walk into my neighborhood CVS in search of yellow highlighters.
I don’t care if they’re Sharpies or BIC.
I don’t care if they’re fluorescent or if they have Smear Guard or a narrow chisel or if they’re odorless.
As a writer, I need yellow highlighters.
Why? Because it’s hard for me to function without them.
Why? Because while I research, I highlight. As if by yellowing them I now own them.
And while I highlight, I often recall learning how important it is to color between the lines. I realize that my kindergarten teacher made me into a color-between-the-lines-kinda guy.
You got it. She made me a compulsive rule follower.
And I ask, “What if I never went down that road?”
But aren’t most good writers just a bit compulsive?”
Okay, you’re right very compulsive.
And then my daydreaming brain jumps to picture a new box of Crayolas. Yup, I still love crayons and the names the Crayola company gave those colorful wax sticks: the moon (Macaroni and Cheese), the Sun (Burnt Orange), the Earth (Sky Blue), Mars (Maroon), and for the night sky (Midnight Blue).
Recall your fun sharpening crayons, smelling a new box of Crayolas, or watching them shrink and disappear.
As my daydream disappears, I reach the CVS counter. I decide to play it safe. I’ll buy one package of BICs and one of Sharpies.
At the register, I’m greeted by an amiable, smiling young man.
I think, “This guy’s no slouch. He’s standing straight. He’s smiling. He likes working at CVS. He’s happy.”
And when he hears me say. “That’s it.”
His eyes light up and he says, “You have the voice of an important person. Are you famous?”
I smile and reply, “Well, I’m almost famous. I’m the co-editor of a book that’s going to be housed on the moon.”
“Wow! That’s awesome. Tell me more. How do I learn more about your adventure?”
“Go to Lunar Codex. L-U-N-A-R second word C-O-D-E-X. You’ll learn all about it. You’ll even get to hear Debussy’s Claire De Lune.”
“I’m going to do that tonight,” the cashier replies.
I believe him.
And as I head to the door, I say, “Bye. Have fun exploring the moon.”
He smiles.
And as I exit the store, I think, “I made this guy’s day. He met somebody who is almost famous.”
And he made my day by enjoying my Lunar Codex story.
And this funny story happened in a CVS.
