But That Was My Idea!
Alice looked around the room nervously, wondering again why she had decided to attend the writer’s conference. None of her friends was coming; she didn’t know a soul here. Across the room she saw a familiar face. Yes, that woman had been in a seminar she’d taken and the woman was beckoning to her. Alice waved and moved toward her, then stopped abruptly as the woman hugged a man who approached from another direction. Alice looked around, hoping no one had noticed her false move.
“I hate when that happens.” A handsome blonde man was standing next to her. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve waved at people who look familiar and then they greet someone else. I’m Val, by the way and you’re. . .” He leaned toward Alice and read her name tag. “And you’re Alice. Hi there, Alice. So who else do you not know here?”
Alice laughed. “Just about everyone. I took a class with that woman and maybe with that guy over there.” She pointed to a heavy-set man in a plaid shirt. “But maybe not. How about you?”
“Well, I know you.” Val glanced at his watch. “Fifteen minutes until the welcoming address. C’mon, I’ll buy you a free cup of coffee.”
Now that they were sitting at a table in the corner, facing the half empty room, Alice wasn’t sure what to say. Be sure to network whenever you can, the conference brochure had suggested. You’ll meet people here who can help you succeed!
“What do you write?” they both asked at the same time. Val nodded and Alice said, “Mostly short stories, fictionalized portraits of people I’ve met or people I want to meet. And you?”
“I’m working on a novel.”
Someone snickered and they turned to see a tall, thin man with the worst haircut Alice had ever seen. He looks like a meth head, she thought, and instantly reproved herself. Don’t judge. He might be a brilliant writer or an important agent or—
“Still working on the novel, Val?” the stranger asked. “What’s it been—six, seven years? Has your hero finally grown a pair and left his wife?”
“He’s waiting for you to show him how, Justin. This is Alice. Who’s that waving at you?”
“She’s waving at me,” said Alice. “That’s Callie. We took a couple of classes together and really liked each other’s work.”
“And another admiration society is formed.” Alice wished Val would tell Justin to leave. She didn’t have the nerve to. But Callie approached and greeted Justin by name.
“And you are?” Was Justin sneering? It was hard to tell.
“Callie Waters. I heard you speak in Albany a few years ago.”
“Another admirer?” Val asked.
Alice gathered her handbag and large tote bag and stood up. “I’m ready to learn. Anyone else joining me?”
“Catch you later.”
“See you at lunch.”
“I’ll grab us a table.”
Alice smiled and walked to the auditorium. Had she made friends? Contacts? Or just a group of random people? Half an hour ago she had only known Callie, though Val and Callie had met Justin before.
Callie caught up with Alice between sessions and pulled her into an empty room. “Well, that was strange,” Callie said.
“Aren’t conferences always a little strange?”
“Yes, but not like what happened before. See, I heard Justin speak in Albany.”
“So you said.”