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August 26, 2005
Warmer regards
It occurred to your humble correspondent, while he was standing in the long queue at the bookshop at the Melbourne Writer's Festival seeking Alexander McCall Smith's signature on his spouse's copy of The 2 1/2 Pillars of Wisdom - the Von Igelfeld Trilogy, that since the spouse had departed 15 minutes previously, pleading a consulation with a client, and he was doing the waiting, that he'd like his very own signature on his very own book.
There happened to be a hardback copy of 44 Scotland Street nearby, so your quick-thinking correspondent slipped out of line - carefully reserving his place, of course, with the permission of the person behind him - and purchased same.
Sandy (as those who've had him sign one of our books call him) displays unusual courtesy in these matters. He stands up and personally greets every person, and shakes hands. We pointed out to him - well, we couldn't think of anything else to say - that whereas the spouse had been prepared to pay $24.95 to obtain his signature, it was worth $34.95 to us. He was suitably impressed.
"Well," he said, "Jill (spouse's name) shall get the usual signature, but you shall have a 'Warm Regards'. AND ... he signed it twice! He might have been born in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, but he's a true Scot.
Posted by cw at August 26, 2005 04:13 PM