Who's laughing now?

I was right. Is there any sweeter phrase in the English language? I was right and by extension someone else was wrong. In this case the three people that were the most wrong were acclaimed writers Jeff Shelby, Bob Morris and Christine Kling. That’s right these three, educated, respected, intelligent people can kiss my ass. They made fun of me and they were mistaken in their ridicule.

These three know a little quirk I have. They’ve made fun of this quirk. Now I’m the one that has to pay the price. You see I’m a little bit of a germ-a-phobe. Nothing serious. Nothing clinical. I just don’t like germs. I’m occasionally, these three might claim, overzealous in my efforts to avoid certain surfaces that could be a harbor for other people’s germs. Places like, bathroom doors, toilet seats, public handrails, inside of taxis, the outside of taxis, buses, elevators, public phones, public pools where the temperature is not over 100 Fahrenheit (or hot tubs under 100 Fahrenheit. Either way).

How do I prove my actions you ask? I got sick. This weekend, while on a trip to Alabama, I let up a little. Just to see what it was like. I didn’t sleep as much as I normally do, no Airborne. I washed my hands fewer times. I went wild. And now I have a cold. I bad one. Every cough, every sneeze is my way of saying “I’m right,” to those critics of my behavior.

Why these three? How did they figure out the Da Vinci code of my hygiene? I travel with them. Not all the time but enough that they picked up on it. The lovely Christine Kling lives near me and it’s convenient for several of us to fly together to Bouchercon or other common events. She’s fun. She laughs at my jokes. Or was she laughing at me? Regardless, she thought my cleanliness was a little more than average. Now who’s laughing?

Shelby spent the night with me in a hotel during my tour. No, not like you’d think. I was tired. Any way, he caught on pretty quick too. I had just started the Airborne addiction our own Jacqueline Winspear had suggested. I’m used to his ridicule but now who’s laughing?

Bob Morris? I just chalked up his distain for soap to being a graduate of the University of Florida. Maybe that is the beginning and end of it.

Any way, I’ve had this cold of vindication since Sunday night and at least emotionally I feel better. I had training on Tuesday where we shot a combat course that involved moving and shooting a shotgun as well as our duty handguns. Then we had a ground fighting class where we were waaaaay too close to each other for most of the afternoon. It only aggravated my cold. But now that I’m back to frequent hand washing and decent night’s sleep, I hope to return to my insulated world of soap, airborne and antiseptic hand wash very soon.

Today’s the day.

Actually tonight. I will be saying a special prayer for our own Cornelia Read and Paul Levine. Is it right to ask God that they crush the competition and emerge victorious? Well, I think it’s great the Edgar committee recognized them and I do hope they win.


We’ll know by this time tomorrow.


I had planned to attend the ceremony as well as other events scheduled this week but I had a nice distraction. Tonight I'm going to my son's student government banquet where he, as president of the student council, will deliver a speech. I don't know what the content is or if he'll speak clearly but I'm proud of him and whatever he says.