Oxford to Dublin: An Experience in Three Acts (Act Two)

Scene: Interior Chapters Bookstore, four-thirty February 17th

I have a seat. I have bought the equivalent of my plane ticket in Neil Gaiman books (all of which are justified even though it was later announced he'd only sign one). And I decide to go to the toilet beforehand so I don't, you know, have to in the middle. Because that's awkward. So I leave Fawkes-the-Cane at my spot and wander. Lack of cane is important, because walking by a shelf it's not there to tell me that I am walking behind an info desk and there is a STEP. So I toppled over the step. I don't know why. Maybe my day was too perfect up to then.... maybe it was a take-the-cane lesson or maybe it was an accident. The injury count last night when I removed make-shift bandages was two bruised knees (danger--I am praying for no infections), one cut wrist and one cut finger. All hurt. Sigh

But that's okay. I had some sticky gauze pads in my backpack, so I fixed best I could went down the street (really...) to the restroom and had to get staff to help me regain my seat. Look, people, I came from Oxford for this.

Neil and Amanda were amazing. He read from the Book-N0t-Yet-Available (Who Killed Amanda Palmer?) and she played the uke. I love that she played 'Dear Old House That I Grew Up In'  because I understand it well, feeling much the same about Mom and Daddy moving. It's weird....

The line was long but we were pretty far to the front (I heard people were there until ten or so) and in line I met a woman from Ravelry who had seen my post about the event! So cool! She had crochet Neil a bee, which is adorable.

I thought about giving the ' I came from Oxford, had my laptop and phone stolen Saturday, fell two hours ago, turn twenty on Saturday and have to lug all these back' ramble to get stuff signed but the rational part of me knew that to be horribly unfair and also nearly too much to be believed (and yet all true). Instead I got Fragile Things signed, because of how much I adore "The Problem of Susan"  and did ramble a little for something else that is secret until someone gets it. Neil said I'm mad for coming, he should meet Mom. I also got to tell him about the time Katie and I decided he was a god. If there were world enough and time I would have also rambled on about how the short story books kept me company whenever I was lonely in London this summer. How reading Neverwhere this fall made me long to be back in London and how I won't get to see Coraline in theatres because it's out now at home and in May here :(

Amanda was lovely as always and signed my postcard and took a picture even though that took far too long. It was an amazing moment.  I hate devoting so much space to Neil and less to her because she's such an amazing person, but my rambling to her has mostly happened at other events :D

Dani and I got food at a nice little place with almond croissants and then I took a cab to my couchsurfing host Nodis's house. She was so sweet, with a nice little flat and an air mattress. She told me about moving to Ireland from Germany and burnt me Terry Prachett audiobooks! I zonked out by eleven, though. I probably should have slept before the coach Monday evening. Oh well.


All-in-all an amazing, amazing day that I wouldn't trade for the world. But maybe would cut part out of.


Good night, Dublin

Next: Coming back

Act One