Last week I shipped some shortbread to my friend, Donald Gordon, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. I met Donald on the Ryze network (www.ryze.com) on one of my writers' groups. Not only did his playful writing style appeal to me, but his long and beautiful descriptions of summer lunches with his wife left me drooling like a hungry dog.
Generally, I don't ship to Canada, but Donald was insistent. And how could I resist that witty, polite charm that reminded me of my English grandmother? I couldn't. So off to Canada my shortbread traveled to surprise Donald's wife on her birthday.
If you have any interest in children's fantasy books, do visit Donald's Web site at http://www.rockcandybandits.com . I just ordered The Prosperian Papers, Vol. 1: The Rock Candy Bandits and can't wait for it to arrive.
Here's Donald's testimonial about Vermont Shortbread Company's product (which, incidentally, made me cry and laugh simultaneously):
Your mystery box arrived at 12:30 p.m. this afternoon as we were having lunch at a table under the pear tree in our side patio. What a delight (and don't blame the postman for being a day late, I suspect he was fighting temptations).
The packing was simply Herculean--drop-proof, fire, flood and earthquake resistant, suitably unrevealing, correctly addressed and lightweight.
The postman was so impressed, he called me "Sir."
Then came the inside. "Bubble wrap!!! "I've been hoping for some," squeaked my wife happily. "For Christmas!"
Then inner wrapping--tasteful, as was everything else, and attuned to the contents, as we learned.
At last the green boxes (we were especially charmed by the list of contents--first love from the US since Bush was elected! Again, a quiet chorus hummed a hymn of tribute to the colors, the further wrapping and the tasteful card, hand-inscribed. (Now I remember why I despise IBM--all that personal attention to detail.)
Then, as we turned to desert of sliced banana and maple syrup, came the opportunity to see, admire and slice pieces of your shortbread.
Even my wife, from a 200-year shortbread family, was impressed. Great to look at. Great to sniff. Delicious to taste. You have triumphed, ma'am.
Only one fear remains. Having read your Ryze bio, I fear I am in the presence of an over-achiever. So much perfection in so many fields is daunting.
In fact, If I hadn't smuggled film out of the late Nakita Khruschev's office in the Kremlin and scored a world scoop about the use of French jets to support the Israelis in the Suez war, I might have felt required to call you "Sir."
As it is, Ma'Am, many and most sincere thanks.
best
d.r. gordon
Comments