The case of the Slushbuster and the Ex-Boyfriend

A package arrived for me the other day. I wasn’t expecting anything.

I looked at the return address and saw that it was from my ex-boyfriend from high school. Ex meaning like, I’ve been happily married for 22 years and haven’t seen this guy for at least 25 years. He’s married too, 600 miles away. We hadn’t kept in touch until we started emailing a few years ago through the magic of the internet. Like many other people, I am finding that through Classmates, Facebook, MySpace, etc, people from the past keep popping up. People told me I shouldn’t be emailing with an ex-boyfriend. Hey, I even email with his wife, who I have never met. We bonded over a shared love for Sting.

Anyway, I have this package. It’s not my birthday. He’s not prone to sending me gifts out of the blue.

So I open it up and it’s Jon Scieszka’s new book, Knucklehead.



Okay. Love Jon Scieszka. Been meaning to get this book. Cool!

It gets better.

Now, here’s a peek at the inside:

Very cool!

Last spring, the Slushbusters attended an author’s party en mass. Jon Scieszka was the author-of-honor. We all got at least one of his books and got them signed and had a chance to talk to Jon. He was promoting Knuckleheads, which was not out yet. So we saw a few galleys and heard him speak about the new book. (He is a hilarious speaker. If you ever get to go and see him, or if you are ever in a position to choose an author/speaker for a conference, put him on top of the list.) I couldn’t wait to get Knuckleheads, but I’d have to wait for publication. Meanwhile, I picked out Smash,Crash and had Jon sign it for my ex’s son, who was 3 at the time. I saved it until his birthday and sent it up to him. Apparently he loves it. It’s one of his favorite books. (The lion blanket I sent him the year earlier was a big favorite too. Am I good or what?)

Mystified by the inscription, I hop on my computer and email my thanks to the ex and his wife. It seems that recently Jon was up their way at a book signing, so they returned the favor and picked up a copy of Knuckleheads for me, explained about Smash, Crash to Jon, and LO, behold the inscription on my book. VERY COOL!!

Whoever said it was a bad idea to keep in touch with an ex-boyfriend? Don’t believe it.