Here I am, in Anchorage, waiting in a conference center for Pete to reappear. He’s gone to the airport to pick up books that are being given to us by Read on the Fly, the organization that distributes them in the Anchorage Airport. These may be books that others have left behind.

I am acutely aware of the fact that I’m not dressed right. I am here for the Science of Reading Symposium, which is going to last four days. The younger somethings who are running the show are wearing dress suits. The still younger somethings who are the underlings of those running the show are wearing custom jeans and nice shirts. No rolled up jeans and old tee shirts here.

Setting up for the long weekend

Sporty is a term that has fallen into disuse. My father used to use it, as in, “you look really sporty.” I remember the first time I heard it. I had a red corduroy jacket and he said this when he saw me wearing it. Now the term would be “casual attire.” I just saw a fellow, about my age, walk by. He was dressed the way I was dressed - regular jeans and running shoes. He passed me going one way and then the other.

I said to him “hey there;” he didn’t look my way or say anything. Now if I was dressed a notch better say, wearing a blazer and dress pants or a skirt and some kind of hosiery (yech) he would have stopped and said hello. This, after all, is the way the world works. Likes attract and unlikes repel.

I’m dressed the way I am because I’m a grrrrrrrrrrl on the run. I have stopped mid-stride and taken a seat on this very comfortable padded bench. Actually, I laid down and dozed. This reminded me of the time when I was stuck in the Seattle Airport (waiting for Susan Harris’s flight to get in) for eight hours. I do not remember how I was then dressed.

It’s now several hours later. I was on a roll, of sorts, writing for surprise and being surprised. I thought that what I’d written was actually fairly astute. Pete appeared, interrupting my train of thoughts. I was just about to describe the sofa upholstery and the floor rug, adding that the rug was bumpy, and for this reason, the service carts were making a lot of noise.

Pete and I had moved the 30 plus boxes of books that we brought with us from Palmer, and he brought the books back with him from the airport to the third floor, adjacent to where I was snoozing. We’d previously unloaded these books at the loading dock, and after getting off the elevator, left them by the freight elevator. I was supposed to be guarding them. I wasn’t being super attentive because who in their right mind would steal books?

We took the books, which were in boxes, which were on carts, to our exhibit table. The head organizer gave us two tables. We set up, then went to have dinner with our friends Judy and Brian; Judy made dinner for us.

This was today, and this is where I am now.

Next: 108. 4/19/24