Pat Conroy

Yesterday for lunch I was craving Panera Bread's French Onion Soup.  I LOVE that stuff, with half of a turkey panini, it is just heaven in your mouth ( I realize I reference food a lot, I am a big hungry type).  It's also a friendly "eat-by-yourself" environment.  I'll go in there and chill out, read my book and eat, and there will always be several other people doing the same or pecking along on their laptops.  I always envision those people to be working on a novel or something culturally sound like that.  So that is what I did yesterday.  Afterward, I ducked into Milestone Books that is next door, just to browse around for a few minutes before heading back to work  On a side note, I love Milestone Books because they are independently owned and they never try to "force" you to get a membership card for $20 a year like Books a Million does.  It is sad, I've begun to avoid stores that do that, and it has developed into a pet peeve, mostly because of the girls in the tanning places that try and force you to buy tanning lotion EVERY time you go in there ( I HATE THAT).

I noticed that the front table was full of copies of Pat Conroy's South of Broad (his latest novel) and there was a poster advertising a book signing that evening from 5pm to 8pm.  

I got very excited.  For those who are unfamiliar, Pat Conroy is a famous Southern author who's most famous works include The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, both of which were made into movies you may have seen.  Barbara Streisand directed and starred in The Prince of Tides, along with Nick Nolte (who got an Oscar nod for his role) and The Great Santini starred Robert Duvall, and Conrack starred Jon Voight.  Man, I've got art, but maybe I can do it, if the line isn't long, I thought.  I wandered to the back of the store and there were big, comfy and inviting leather couches set up for him, and a table.  I scooped up Sarah Palin's Going Rouge and vowed to come back after work.


I got back to Milestone Books a little before 5pm and got a number.  Number 61 (eek).  Oh well, I'll just see.  I walk to the back and there Mr. Conroy was, already signing away.  He was a grizzled older man in a navy blue blazer with kind eyes.  There were only three women in line ahead of me.  GREAT!  I lined up and before too long, there was a nice big line behind me.  They were probably in the right order (#4 inquired and came and got in front of me and I folded up my slip so no one could see) but in my mind, the early bird gets the worm.  It's about time of arrival not the fact you got your number at 2pm.  Haha.  They were also handing out wine and shrimp n grits, as I was in a hurry, I didn't have time to indulge. 


Finally, it was my turn.  I walked up, shook Mr. Conroy's hand, and he posed for a picture with me.  He signed my book and asked me what I did.  I told him I was familiar with his work, but I was actually a big fan of his wife, Cassandra King (Same Sweet Girls--you know, Alley J).  He laughed and said her novels were practically pornagraphic or something to that affect, and I was Oh I love them!  He said she was supposed to be there later, but she was probably engaged in an illicit affair somewhere.  I told Mr. Conroy that would be absolutely scandalous!  I thanked him again, and walked away, clutching my copy of South of Broad to my chest.  You see, things like that just make my bookworm- English nerd- self happy.  A little piece of literary history on my shelf, for keeps.