My First Time

This will be my first time seeing it in a store.

I walk in the revolving door, holding my breath as I push my way into the large room, all the air being heavily conditioned. I walk towards the aisle.

New Non-Fiction. The second aisle in. Books jumping out at me. Begging to be bought.

Wait. I don’t see it. I look around intently. I apparently look in need of help. A Barnes and Nobles employee approaches and asks, “may I help you find something?”

Not wanting to be the guy that asks where is own book is, I politely explain “I’m just looking.” I continue my search. Obviously not “just looking.”

There must be a mistake. I’m tempted to call my dad and make sure it’s in stores. But I stop myself. I want to find it for myself. It’s a  new book. It’s nonfiction. Where the hell else would it be?

I finally go up to the person at the help desk. “Hey how can I help you?” he wearily asks. He’s not a huge fan of what he does.

“Hi, I’m looking for new nonfiction book. It’s called Home Before Dark.”

He frowns and types a few things. “Treadways?” I feel a thrill when he says my last name. But I try and stay casual, “yup”

“Third floor, health section.” And with that I’m dismissed, so he can get back to hating his life.

With a little trepidation I climb the stairs to the third floor. Is this how it’s going to be in every store? No big promotion in the front? Just allocated to some dusty back corner?

I get to the health section. A formidable area. Health Education. Nutritional Health. General Health. Medical Journals. Experimental Health. I start browsing. I’m unsuccessful. Our book is nowhere to be found. He was mistaken. It’s supposed to be downstairs, where everyone can see.

Just as I start to entertain this idea, I turn the corner and see the Cancer section. And there it is. Our book.

It’s hard to describe seeing your book in stores. But I can tell you what. All of a sudden it didn’t matter that I was on the third floor in a far off corner of a bookstore. My family’s book is in print and it’s in a store. Amazing.