At the Tollbooth
I am seeing the author and illustrator of my favorite book ever. At one of my favorite bookstores ever. With Carole. Okay, breathe. (Which is more than I did when I saw the writing on the wall.) When Carole and I were in Politics and Prose for Sara Gruen's reading (more on that later), Carole sought a couple of Newbery Award -winning books for her collection in the children's book section. (She found two of the rarer titles, which was a lovely addition to the evening.) As Carole stood at the cash register with her purchases in hand, my eye caught a sign on the wall behind the bookseller: Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer will be here at.... At that point, I stopped breathing and grabbed Carole's shoulder. "What?" Carole aske, alarmed. (Normally I'm not speechless.) I pointed at the wall. The gasp Carole uttered was worthy of a Juster-Feiffer lover. The Phantom Tollbooth is my "desert island" book, and I keep extra copies on hand...