"New York, New York....."

by

Patti Dickinson

Twenty-four hours from now Wood and I will be seat-belted into our Midwest Airlines seats and heading to New York.  With any luck at all, our suitcases will be in the cargo area of the same plane.  After a week of maniacal chore accomplishment to prepare to leave town, including, but not limited to, stocking the kitchen with kid-friendly food -- spaghetti O's, the ingredients to make salsa, four gallons of milk (it's where my kids get most of their nutrition) HoHo's and pistachio nuts. Plants are watered. The kids have some pizza/pool/movie money.  Our suitcases are packed, the kids have been told that this better not be the location of the next party that includes three zip codes, and that I want no phone calls asking me to put so-and-so on the phone to tell so-and-so that their music is too loud, that they've been in the shower for too long and used all the hot water (this happened last time we were out of town....the kid who called stood outside the bathroom door banging on it, shouting to the kid in the shower that "Mom is on the phone and wants to talk to you now." or that so-and-so has left toothpaste globs in the sink (me?  I'm glad someone is brushing their teeth!)  

We are going to New York to attend the NYC Book Expo.  It is there that our book Four Ordinary Women will be introduced.  I will get to hold the book in my hands for the first time. Not the galley, the real deal. Years of work, with three other women. There are days when I feel like I am living a dream.  I have always been a "writer".  I wrote some really bad poetry in high school, and have always enjoyed writing the kids notes....to cheer them up, to celebrate an accomplishment, or tucked into their suitcase when they are heading to summer camp, opening their lunch at school, or being dropped off at their dorm.  Words can heal, encourage, make you laugh, dry tears.

Heading for the City that never sleeps.......