Both Dumb And Mortified!

I am not the brightest tool in the shed, folks.* That is why, when I went to look for my cache a couple of days ago, I began to examine the tree firmly planted at GZ, examining the roots for niches, looking up into the branches for clips and zip ties. I walked around and around, looking for any sign of my quarry, intent on finding it, even if the hardest cache for me is a micro in a tree. I thought and circled, focused on the broad leaves, until I bumped into the lamppost standing about six feet from the trunk. Some days, I would probably lose my own feet if they weren’t attached. That is the reason I was dumb, but not the reason I was mortified.

Some days, I think about the future, even though so many things are in the way. One of the future things I was thinking about was my book (which I’m still re-editing) and what I’m going to do after. I decided a while ago that I would write more books. The first, of course, would be about Texas (because … well, have you met me?), and the second would be about [REDACTED]. I had carved up the country into book-sized pieces and was considering my future third book, especially the fact that I had not completed all the states it would encompass. I know this is giving away state secrets, but one of the states in the third book (every book after Texas will be multiple states) will be Nebraska. Consequently, I idly considered a road trip to work on the sixty-six counties I don’t have yet. And, in the process of comparing maps of where I have been to where I have not, I made a horrid discovery. I learned I had misspelled a county seat! The seat of Cedar County, Nebraska, is Hartington, not Huntington! Heavens forfend such a transgression! Indeed, I expect the mobs of Nebraskans to cut a swathe of destruction to my door and take their righteous anger out upon my penitent person. Or not. I make as many mistakes as the next guy. I’ve even misnamed county seats before, but I’ve usually caught it just before or just after publishing. This one sat for over a year with no comment or castigation to be found. But at least it was caught and corrected eventually. Names are important, and the last thing I want to do is dishonor a place that has so graciously hosted me (even if only for a short time) by misattributing their name.

We apologize for the fault in that entry. Those responsible have been sacked.

^* _{Before anyone jumps to my defense, this statement is purely for literary purposes. I could probably float the French Navy with my (over-)confidence in my mental acuity.}