I erred. I thought that the Bright Lights Book Project was to distribute books at the Anchorage Performing Arts Center performance of the Nutcracker this Friday, on November 24th. It had occurred to me that last year, we did this the day before Thanksgiving and that perhaps this event might again be the day before Thanksgiving. However, I was so sure that it was the day after that I did not look it up.

I am despondent about this; however, I may have dodged a bullet. The woman who I was coordinating this event with had, beforehand, laid a heavy administrative hand on the logistics related to this project, including our having to pack up at the end of intermission. Last year, a more relaxed person was running the show.

Before last year's Nutcracker

This woman left a message in which she sounded exasperated, in wondering where we were. I called back later and said that I messed up the date, and asked if we could pass out books during a regular performance. Her one word answer was “nope.”

I did not apologize because sometimes apologizing is a way of asking for forgiveness. I didn’t want or need forgiveness. So I said that maybe next year we’ll distribute books. As I said this I thought, fat chance of this. We now have enough places locally in which to distribute Christmas books, this year and next.

I also had this sense that we might have dodged a bullet. When there are a multitude of administrative dictates imposed on me, I begin to feel uneasy. I suspect that this was going to be such an instance.

This year we have Colony Christmas on December 8th, 9th, and 10th –this is a local three day event. And we will have our Volunteer Appreciation event on December 16th. Additionally, we have bookcases on hand in which we can put out Christmas books.

The organizer’s one word response, “nope,” brought something else to mind. I had taken the window seat on the Seattle to Anchorage plane, although I’d been assigned the middle seat (thanks Pete). I asked the woman who was to sit in the window seat if she would take the middle seat and her response was, “nope.”

I didn’t argue with her; rather, I asked her travelling companion if she might take the middle seat, adding that she could then be next to her companion. She looked surprised; I don’t think she was expecting to be asked this question. She said, “okay.”

Now twice I have been given a one-word response by those who could acquiesce. And twice I have not attempted to plead my case. Maybe, I am now thinking, I should, when others ask for a favor, just be heartless and say, “nope.” The difference between my nope and the other two women’s nopes is that I would feel bad because I enjoy helping others out.

I’d like to think that what goes around comes around. Yes, I’d like to think this, but of course I have no way of knowing. C’est la bovine. Such is cow.

Next: 322. 11/23/23: Thanksgiving, 2023