It was a steaming hot summer afternoon, I remember because I was on my bike. The Yankee was following me as I pumped over a slight hill, at the height of my meager powers. She was saving herself for a race two days later.
We got out to our turnaround spot, near a restaurant we visit once or twice a year, on the spot where German POWs were held during World War II. I was drenched, but loving every minute of the exertion, loving that it didn’t feel so much like work. It felt so good to feel good.
She decided she’d had enough — there was that race, where she would finish third after all — and asked me to come back and pick her up. I sprinted out ahead of her to grab the car and save her legs and keep her out of the heat.
She stopped at a country store that has a porch swing. A kindly gentleman bought her a drink for no other reason than he was a kindly gentleman and there are a lot of them here. She waited for me and, while sitting in the shade, she learned a trial that we were planning on using as the operational basis of a piece of research was being delayed.
So for the rest of the week we brainstormed about a new idea. Surely there must be something. After a few days, I think on another ride, we seized on another idea. A few days later we put this new plan into action.
We spent a few evenings immersed in the idea and then about two weeks writing it for a journal submission. The reviewers sent it back with suggestions. We spent another few days improving it, and ultimately edited the piece down to 10,000 words.
This evening we learned that paper has been accepted for publication. I was cutting up a cantaloupe at the time.
We’re pretty happy about that, as you might expect. The journal article I mean. I’m sure we’ll get to the fruit eventually.
The Yankee did a great job on the paper. I wrote a few sections of it. She reworked some things and I edited it a couple of times. We make a good team.
We’re celebrating tonight with cupcakes.
