Mike Humfreville - 5-21-2006 at 11:17 AM
Lessons Learned, Part Three ? The Book Signing
I was discharged from Clinica St. Gabriel somewhere around noon on Saturday. We rushed north to the Pyramid Hotel where Keri and Mike wee hosting the
annual Baja Authors Book Signing. The night before, Mary Ann had arranged for our friends Pete and Suzanne to set up our table as we would be late in
arriving. They had acquired a location with a shade umbrella immediately adjacent to the small platform where several groups of locals would be
performing songs and dances and near the bar where we could assume good traffic.
As the book is my first and published only recently, we sold quite a few copies. A number of folks stopped by just to chat and I was well rewarded by
the small flatteries heaped upon me. I was very weak yet and filled with aches but the warm words of friends new and old were more than rewarding.
But, while money is always an issue, it was not my driver in writing this book. Our family home, in rural Ventura County had burned to the ground
several years before, taking all our photographs and family films of the boys growing up. Afterward I began writing with an intensity I didn?t quite
understand. Then one Saturday not long after the fire I realized that with written words I was recreating the destroyed images of my evolving family.
The boys are now 27 and 29. We had shared many travels and out-of-the-ordinary experiences throughout our lives and times together. They needed to
be recaptured.
Son Kevin stood by our table at the book signing for a time while Mary Ann, Michael and I wandered the event to visit old friends and make new ones.
We purchased several new Baja books, stole a nibble or two from the booth of a new art and culinary enterprise just getting underway. Their food was
excellent and quite high end. It is called Giorgio Santini Gallery of Fine Art and located near kilometer 40 on the old road between Tijuana and
Ensenada. They offer gourmet specialty foods and wines. We also bought a new-to-us book ?California ? West of the West? after meeting the author and
discussing Baja California, a major subject of his new book. Mary Ann snagged a copy of the Baja Times newspaper. They have been quite successful in
filling a certain void in English language reporting on peninsular events.
The afternoon passed too quickly. A trio of musicians had been playing most of the midday and was keeping the crowd stimulated. Late in the
afternoon Keri had arranged for a group who performed several forms of Latino dances with great flare while the rest of us watched and listened
appreciatively. It was an overcast, cold, gray day. I was worn down and at one point had Michael bring me a sleeping bag from our room. I wrapped
it on top of my zipped up ski jacket and was still shivering. I guessed my recovery time was going to be longer than I?d hoped. But it was a fun
time regardless. If you haven?t done this event, pen it in for next year.
The formal book signing ended late in the afternoon. Many of us had signed on for an informal pot luck dinner and shoveled plates full of creative
foods into our faces. Laughter was everywhere, visiting with friends, many of whom we hadn?t seen since last year at this event. As 8 that evening,
Suzanne opened her highly semi-organized tequila tasting. 6 ? 8 people actively participated (and many more inactively) as Suzanne poured each brand
of tequila into small portions into tiny paper cups and numbered them for identification without letting the participants know which brand name they
were drinking. There were great discussions regarding which tequila was the best and the debates of course grew more and more animated and wordy as
the tasting continued. Kevin and I were observers as he drinks almost nothing and I was on my best behavior for obvious reasons. By 11 that night we
were all in bed and at least trying to sleep. My lower back was still trying to kick me for my prior bad behavior and rest was not easy to come by,
but it had been a more-than-full day (week?) and eventually we all slept. It was rewarding to rekindle old relationships and make new friends. We
were all from unique backgrounds and age/social/academic/economic levels and it was a great learning process just to understand each other?s points of
view.
In the morning a number of us gathered in our suite to say our goodbyes. For many of us it would be another year before we saw each other again. For
a few perhaps this was the final encounter. Life continues and one never knows where she?ll lead us. But true friendships don?t fade for lack of a
tangible visibility. We often carry simple memories throughout our lives forever and gladly, remember the personal experiences and warm moments
shared.
Pete and Suzanne had arranged to spend a week at our place in Bahia de Los Angeles. They were looking for a house there, or at least terrain where
they could build. My health was stabilizing and Mary Ann decided I was strong enough I could ride back to our tiny house in Ventura with Michael and
Kevin and dog Dito. My Ensenada doctors had strongly recommended I schedule a visit to my doctor in the U.S. as soon as possible. I was arguing to
go south with our friends but they convinced me to go home to the doc. Bummer.
We packed and chewed the fat and soon the trucks were loaded and we were hugging for that last time at this stage of our visits. Mary Ann would help
Pete and Suzanne look around the bay for a place; I would schedule a doctor?s visit. And have a week alone with Kevin and Michael, in itself something
to look forward to. Then we were off to the south and the north, respectively.
To Be Continued.
Pescador - 5-21-2006 at 11:46 AM
I am so glad you responded to the motivation to write the book. You truly have a gift of expression that I have admired for a long time. On the old
board (Amigos) and this one, I have always printed your short stories and reread them many times as they have always illuminated the "baja
experiences" that we all hold close to our hearts. I am currently about half way through your book and can hardly sit it down. Since we live in
Colorado, it took Amazon.com a while to get it to me but it arrived last week. As we travel this summer to Alaska, I will be able to savor it a
little more slowly the second time around.
Glad you are recovering and thank you for sharing.
David K - 5-21-2006 at 03:57 PM
Good to read from you Mike... as it was seeing you and the entire family at the Pyramid Resort!
Here's the book cover...
Bob H - 5-21-2006 at 04:24 PM
Mike, I WANT the book
Bob H
mikes book and old acquaintance
Bajagato - 5-21-2006 at 04:54 PM
Mike,
This is Denise, I posted on the other board. We only met a few times but I always enjoyed the company. To maybe refresh your memory, this is us at the
booksigning in 03. Oh and where can I purchase the book? Might be next year before we get back down to Baja, (or at least not as far down as BOLA)
unfortunately! Take care and I hope you are feeling better!
a never get the pic right ht first time!
Bajagato - 5-21-2006 at 04:56 PM
one more try
Bajagato - 5-21-2006 at 04:57 PM
The Bajagato's
Baja Bernie - 5-21-2006 at 06:49 PM
I remember you both very well and will say that you can order Mike's book from Sunbelt Publishing.com
Nice to hear from both of you it has been a while.
Bajagato - 5-22-2006 at 09:17 AM
thanks Bernie!!! yeah, I know its been a long time. Sorry we have missed the booksigning now a few years, only because we have so much other stuff
going on, but can't wait to get back to Baja!