On My Continued Stalking of David Sedaris

A few weeks ago I learned one of my favorite authors, David Sedaris, was going to be making another swing through central Iowa on a speaking tour. Obviously, I was thrilled and immediately began texting my besties to line up a date or two for the show.

This will be my third time hearing Sedaris speak. My husband, Rusty, claims I am stalking him. This may be so. Especially since last time he was in Des Moines, I may have made some comments that would have justified a restraining order being placed on me.

He was speaking at the Civic Center of Des Moines reading from and promoting his new book at the time, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. My friend Jamie Lou and I went for drinks before hand but upon arriving at the Civic Center we found a recently vacated autograph table. Devastated, I tried to sweet talk the guard into letting me in to meet him since I had a first edition copy and was dying for a signature. Rent-a-cop was having none of it. But he was most helpful in informing us that Mr. Sedaris would be signing autographs after the show too.

Jamie and I slipped out quick after the show and ran down the stairs to beat all the other Sedaris fans to the line. When I reached the front of the line, I handed him my first edition copy of Flames. Summoning all my courage, I asked David Sedaris...to sign my boobs. Yep, I did. I was that chick. Now don't forget Mr. Sedaris is gay and quite reserved. He became quite flustered and politely declined, immediately making me ashamed for having embarrassed him so. That is until I read his inscription in my first edition:



It reads: Shannon, Your story has touched your breasts. -David Sedaris. God, I love that man. This book is now one of my most prized possessions.

This time around, Sedaris will be coming to C.Y. Stephens in Ames and my friend Reeney will be joining me for the show. Reeney was also with me the first time I heard him speak quite a few years ago at Hoyt Sherman. Tickets went on sale this morning at 10:00 and I jumped on Ticketmaster at precisely 10:00 AM. I snagged us 10th row seats. Not bad in my opinion, especially for Stephens. He will be promoting his forthcoming book, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary. From the sounds of it, this book will be amazing. A collection of anthropomorphic animal stories. I will be first in line when the book hits shelves in October.

I have decided, however, I will be on my best behavior this time. I have serious literary questions to ask him. I don't need to be the juvenile court jester all the time, cracking jokes and acting silly. Well, maybe on second thought I'll ask him to fake make out with me for a picture.