I received a package this week, such a surprise, as the only mail I ever get are from people who want me to buy things, everything from cars to spa treatments to fertilizer (a euphemism for some of the advertisements that I receive). Special deals, they say. Buy one, get two free. Going out of business. Last chance. Then there are the advertisements from the plethora (great word, fits it perfectly) of medical insurance ads. They first fill our mailboxes, then the trash or recycling bins, then the landfills, or as we say in Montana, the dump. Good jobs all around.
If they cut out all the mailings, they could cut prices including our health insurance, and of course keep our forests from extinction. I know a lot of people who work in the tree business, though, hard-working people who keep our forests renewed and replenished and I wouldn’t want for them to lose their jobs. I had a water bottle made from paper recently, and this might be a better use of trees. Reducing our dependence on plastic bottles that will live forever may be an idea whose time has come, but I am only one old broad, living in Montana, surrounded by trees and a cute old guy and his dog. What do I know?
I digress, so back to my package. It was from Mr. Chen. I don’t know who he is, but he must know me. When I finally got through the wrappers, I found a present, a lovely pair of earrings with replications of my first book Cruise Time on it. It was shipped from China by DHL with about forty layers of wrappers on it, plus a box. It said “Made in China,” in several languages, but I don’t know anyone in China and as far as I know, my books are not available in Chinese. So who?
I called my lovely, but mean editor, although she calls me “Honey Bunny,” I was sure she wouldn’t send me a present. Nope, not her. She suggested “Etsy,” whoever that is, but I don’t know anyone by that name either. I called my son in Alaska, but he’s not into either earrings or China. Nope, not him either. Nor my daughter. I had just seen my daughter and she didn’t confess that she sent me a present, and hasn’t been to China ever.
I finally figure it out! My silly books and blogs have reached China and they like them so much that a new Cruise Time micro-manufacturing-jewelry-industry has hit the big time. Now we know: The mysterious Chinese balloon passed directly over our house, and honed in on my books. Perhaps that was what all the yakety-yak was about.
If you happen to know or hear about Mr. Chen, please tell me. In the meantime, thank you, Mr. Chen, the earrings are beautiful!
If you enjoy Gail’s books and blogs, please share. All are available on her website gailcushman.com and apparently in China, at a micro-jewelry factory.
