The Pie
I quadruple-checked my backpack. My folder. My paperwork and business cards. All there. I sat on my hand for a few seconds – didn’t want it to be either cold or sweaty when shaking hands. No way I was going to do something embarrassing for a third time.
“Two-minutes warning for 10:15 appointments,” the volunteer called from the hallway.
I joined the semi-circle outside the desk. I greeted another writer I’d met at the conference. “You ready?”
He nodded confidently.
“Time! 10:15 appointments, come on back!”
I followed the other writer to the last room where the agent waited. Looked like my new friend would be pitching to another agent in the same room. Halfway in, I stopped cold. My agent sat at the back table, and the other writer was headed straight for him.
The agent gave me a friendly smile. “Did they double-book me again? What’s your name?”
“Daniel,” I said.
He checked his appointment list. The smile turned to a frown. “I’ve got you down for 10:45.”
I backed away in horror. “I’m so sorry.”
“That’s okay,” he said. But his face looked pained.
The Steak
I had a half hour to wallow, and to plan what I’d say. Another volunteer stopped by my bench, concern evident on his face. “Rough appointment? You don’t look so good.”
I smiled and explained the situation. Just telling the story, I realized it wasn’t that bad. And an idea formed. Perhaps I could use the other mistakes I’d made to my advantage. I laughed at myself, and suddenly felt fine. Whatever would happen would happen.
After what seemed like 5 hours, 10:45 arrived. I shook the agent’s hand and started right in.
“Well,” I said, “I guess God decided he needed to humble me this conference. Before my first appointment yesterday, I walked into the women’s bathroom by mistake. My second appointment went well, but then I left my backpack under the table and had to sneak back in to retrieve it. And now for my last appointment, I show up at the wrong time. Yeah, I’m not nervous at all!”
The agent laughed out loud. He told me about other poor writers who came the wrong day and missed their appointment altogether. We had instantly established a rapport. Which is what you want for these appointments, perhaps as much as a request for pages.
In the end, we had a great conversation, and he provided some excellent advice. My project wasn’t right for him, but I learned a lot during those 15 minutes.
As I got up to leave, he reminded me not to forget my backpack.
The Recipe
So how do you transform humble pie into a gourmet meal? In this case, it took the following ingredients:
- Begin with a pinch of quiet self-reflection.
- Mix in a dash of self-forgiveness with two ounces of self-confidence.
- Toss in heap of self-deprecating humor. No amount too big, for me anyway. Results may vary.
- Stir in the kindness of a stranger, and you have a winning recipe.
Enjoy!
Have you been in a similar situation? Or perhaps you were the stranger? Share your story in the comments – I’d love to hear the ingredients that work for you.