All right. I spent all yesterday (from before 7:00 a.m. until at least 7:00 p.m. I didn't really check) going through the edit letter and making the edits to the draft of the book. I kicked ass. Then I re-read the 1st and 2nd edit letters crossing things off, making sure what I'd gotten done and noting what I'd missed for working on it today. I was probably 80% through the edits. I had been good. I saved early and often because the computer has been on the fritz. I am waiting for the cheap Compaq desktops to come out toward the end of this month and will be replacing it.
I went to bed feeling pretty good about the whole thing. Tired, but good. I could get it finished and off before the trip EASY.
Then, middle of the night I got a call from my son.
His roommates (a couple) had gone on a dream trip out of the country. The man was going to propose. There was a terrible accident. His fiancee drowned. She's dead. Emily was an incredibly sweet woman. One in a million. Smart, funny, and genuinely nice. I only met her twice, but I remember her well and fondly. She was that kind of a person.
I spent time comforting my son---although there really isn't a lot of comfort to be had in those kinds of shocking and horrible situations. I have my religious beliefs, but that is cold comfort to a 27 year old man who has just lost a dear friend and another whose lost the love of his life on what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of it.
It took a long time to get back to sleep, and I didn't sleep all that well. I kept trying to think of what I could say or do that would bring any comfort at all, and coming up dry.
I got up this morning, determined to go back to the edits. Get to work. Get it done. Time and toil wait for no man.
Due to a computer glitch the file is corrupted. Everything after page 10 is gone. Backup is corrupted too. It's gone.
Normally I would be angry, pissed off, mad at myself and the world. That isn't happening today. I'll re-do the edits. Yeah, it's a PITA, but I'll get it done, before the trip, while I'm washing clothes, packing and doing all that happy crap. It'll get done. It's my job, and I'm pretty good at it. But it's not what's on my mind. Because, ultimately, it's just a nuisance, not that big of a deal. Especially when you put it in perspective.
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4 comments:
My heart goes out to the family of that wonderful girl and to the man who lost her before he was givien enough time to be with her. To your son also because he is also in pain for them, his friends.
I wish I had the words to even attempt to convey my sympathies to your son and his friends. They will be in my prayers.
Oh I am so very sorry for your son, his friends and the young lady's family. Perspective is right. The only thing you can do is listen and show you care. In my prayers.
Good Lord...there's really nothing to say.
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