The Third One's a Charm

So I've written three books now, and this is the first time the delivery of my books wasn't an anxiety filled adventure. Book One was supposed to be delivered the day before a major snowstorm. The truck arrived out front of my house. My wife video taped me running out to the truck, doing my happy dance, as the driver opened the back of the truck to reveal... nothing. Well, there was a large vat of cleaning solution, but no books.

"That's not yours?" said the driver?

"Books! There's supposed to be books!" I answered.

"Oh! Well that's not books. They must be somewhere else."

The driver and 'head office' assured me they'd be found and delivered to me by the end of the day.

They weren't.

They were found, and delivered the next day; the day of the snowstorm. They arrived less than half an hour before the snow began to fall.

My second book, at least the hardbacks, were delivered on time, just not to my house. I waited for them to arrive, and received an email asking me to rate the delivery company's service. I contacted them to tell them I couldn't rate them, as the books had yet to arrive.

"Yes they have, Mr. Garlick." And then I was sent a photograph to prove it. The photograph showed a picture of my books on somebody else's front porch. Too much of a close up to tell, where exactly, but it was clearly a white brick house, with somebody's shoes next to the books. My house is red.

"Don't worry, Mr. Garlick, all our trucks are equipped with GPS, we'll find your books and get them to you."

In spite of their assurances, the delivery company never did find my books, but after two days, the very nice people who did receive my books delivered them to me themselves, not waiting for the thanks I would have given them. In spite of the fact that I called the company to tell them they could stop looking, I received messages for the next few days telling me they'd be located shortly.

I didn't rate that company's delivery service very highly.

This third book though was completely different. I received a phone call telling me the books had left Manitoba, where they were printed, and they'd be delivered in two days. Two days later I received a phone call from the driver of the truck, telling me he was a few blocks away, and he'd be at my house in a few minutes.

He was; a huge eighteen-wheeler in front of the house.

"I'm a bit big for your street, aren't I?"

Five hundred and one books on one skid. "What's the book about?" asked the driver.

I explained. My wife added colour commentary. "They're really funny!" she finished.

"Sounds good! Can I buy a copy?" he asked.

"Well, sure!" I said.

"Can you make it two? I've got a friend who collects books. Can you sign them for me?"

Daniel from Purolator removed the plastic wrap from around the skid of books, and opened the first box for me. I signed two of them and Linda took a picture of me and Daniel together.

The third book really is a Charm!