As the length of my time has stretched into many years, I realize the exceeding importance of giving moments of kindness.
Take for instance, my friend, Edward.
Edward is kind and well-mannered. Every person who knows Edward gushes with love and stories of his thoughtfulness.
It occurred to me that Edward, patron saint of good deeds, had never had a big moment that belonged solely to him, a moment when all eyes were cast on him as he bowed in the spotlight.
In my latest book, St. Simons Island: A Stella Bankwell Mystery, Edward was the inspiration for Stella’s best friend. Chatham Balsam Colquitt IV is like Edward but Chatty has a lot of old money. Edward’s oldest money is no more than two or three weeks old.
Like Edward, Chatty is a lively storyteller, entertaining with a vast vocabulary and is steadfastly loyal to Stella. One reviewer wrote, “Everyone would like to have a best friend like Chatty.” Overwhelmingly, the readers and reviewers all agree: Chatty is perfectly delightful.
We were preparing for the release of the Stella Bankwell mystery. The launch was a luncheon at the Cloister on Sea Island because it, along with St. Simons, plays a prominent role in the book series.
Edward knew about Chatty. I said, “Now, Edward, he’s over the top. But so are you. However, he’s Presbyterian and you’re Methodist.”
What Edward did not know and what I wanted to be a surprise was that I dedicated the book to him. As Sea Island and I worked on Stella’s unveiling, it occurred to me that it was an opportunity to give one of the biggest kindnesses of my life’s worth. Edward was an only child. Very few family members remain. He has never had a BIG moment. No college graduation. No wedding. No baby or baby shower. He had never had his 15 minutes of being adored.
Secretly, I began to plot. I’d invite Edward’s dearest friends – there are many – and tell them that we were celebrating Edward’s Chatty. Only a few trustworthy friends knew that the third page read: “This book is dedicated to Edward Armstrong, my personal Chatty[1] .”
I called the lovely Mary Jane at GJ Ford on St. Simons and explained the surprise dedication. She was selling books at the Cloister and at the island’s theater – which turned out to be the first time in the theater’s history that an author sold it out – and I said, “Please, do not sell this book before the luncheon on the 9th,” I explained. Mary Jane loves Edward, too.
When the books came in, she hid them under boxes, also writing, “Do not sell before launch.” I called Righton, the other book store.
Oh, but then the trouble started. The devil, as you have probably noticed, doesn’t like good things to happen.
The release date was set for August 8th. This is my ninth book and I have never known any bookseller to release before the “drop” date. It’s a gentleman’s agreement.
I accidentally discovered that the publisher was shipping the books out early and that Amazon planned to start shipping its pre-orders.
If AT&T aggravations have shortened my life by five years then this upset took away another five. I will die young.
Nine days before the big surprise, posts started popping up, “Got my book today!”
I was frantically plugging every leak as fast as I could. I tried to accept that Edward would never have his 15 minutes of adoration.
I prayed. I knew that divine intervention was my only hope. For days, I fretted.
God answered.
The moment I stood on stage and announced the dedication, Edward’s mouth dropped open as the entire room stood to give him a three-minute ovation. While they honored him, he cried, copiously.
When time came to sign books, Tink, laughingly noted, “Edward’s signing line is longer than yours!”
Nothing could have made me happier.
Ronda Rich is the author of the best-selling of St. Simons Island: A Stella Bankwell Mystery. Visit www.rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.
