John Delach

Sometimes we recognize the truth immediately, usually when it is self-evident. But sometimes it takes a bit of a jar to recognize when it is present.

One recent Sunday afternoon, I found myself in the Port Washington Library making copies for our writer’s workshop. As I was leaving, I noticed a stack of books on a table close to the exit. One stood out, a rather thick non-fiction book with the title, “The Fate of the Day,” by Rick Atkinson. This was the second volume in his trilogy about the American Revolution.

My cousin, Bill, my friend, Geoff, and I are all avid Rick Atkinson fans who have read his trilogy about the US Army’s battles in Europe during the Second World War. In the same way we each read his first volume about the revolution, “The British are Coming.”

I did talk it over with Bill as to who’s turn is it to purchase the book this time and we concluded it was mine. Too bad, talk about inflation, its cover price is $42!

Mary Ann ordered it from Amazon Prime on the afternoon of May 4 and it arrived before 9 AM the next morning. Another massive undertaking, 618 pages of script! Looking at my new book, I wondered how long it’s been since the author’s first volume was launched? I looked it up, April of 2019.

There it was for anyone to see, the ugly truth that it could take Atkinson six years to publish his new and final volume.

SIX YEARS: OMG!

If the final volume takes that long, I will be 87 when it’s published:

What are the odds that I will still be around?

And if I am, what will be the odds that I can still absorb its content?

And if I can absorb it will I want to?

FUHGEDDABOUTIT!