What happens when a man goes to give a book signing at a bookstore.

Dennis H. Le Croissette 775 words
4648 Telescope Avenue
Carlsbad
CA 92008-3764
(760) 434-7491









The Book Signing
Dennis H. Le Croissette
When I sauntered over to my favorite bookshop to check out the latest fiction I didn't expect to steal a book.
As I walked through the entranceway one of the assistants approached me. "Good morning, Mr. LeCours. We're pleased to have you with us."
I looked round quickly to make sure he was addressing me. My name's a difficult one and I'm used to hearing all sorts of pronunciations.
They were extremely friendly. "Here's the desk. Just in time to meet your public."
I realized I'd been mistaken for Dan LeCours, a well-known author, who had an author signing at the bookshop today.
"We're pleased you could make it," the assistant said.
What would be the harm in it? If Dan LeCours weren't here, the public would be starved of meeting a celebrity. In any case, my Great American Novel was now up to chapter five and I'd soon be as famous as he is now.
Dan LeCours' books were stacked ready to sign. I picked one up and looked at the back of the dust jacket where there was a picture of the author. I could easily be mistaken for him.
A line soon formed. I signed the books in an almost illegible signature and everyone seemed satisfied.
All went well until an earnest young man came up to the desk and asked, "How did you devise the theme for your book, 'The Awakening of Jonathon'"
That made me think. "Not easy. Ideas come to me in the night -- just before I go to sleep. I jot them down on a notepad I keep by the bed."
He looked puzzled. "Even cartoons?" he asked.
"Everything," I said and turned away quickly to attend to the next in line.
When I had a moment's respite, I looked at some more of Dan's books and found that what the man had said was true . 'The Awakening of Jonathon' was almost entirely filled with cartoons. I could see that Mr. LeCours was very versatile.
The next one was nearly my undoing.
"Would you draw a cartoon in my book, please?" asked a young lady who looked at me wistfully through long eyelashes.
This was proving to be more difficult than I expected but I've always been a quick thinker. "I'm really sorry," I answered. "I'm not allowed to do that. Contract restrictions, you understand." My smile and an autograph seemed to be enough and she went away satisfied.
The signing lasted several hours. Finally the line became shorter and at twelve o'clock I decided to go out for lunch. When I returned another man sat at my desk. Dan LeCours must have arrived after all.
I couldn't resist it. I went back home, put on different clothes and returned to the store. Picking up a book by LeCours from the now-diminishing pile I approached the author and said, "How did you think up the theme for your book 'The Awakening of Jonathon'?"
He looked surprised. "The theme?" he mused. "I'm not sure it has a theme. It's mainly cartoons, you know."
I asked him a couple of other questions. He gave all the right answers.
A minute later the trouble started. I noticed one of the men in line staring intently at the dust jacket of a book, comparing the picture with the author sitting behind the desk. He finally walked over to talk to the manager of the shop and they both disappeared into the manager's office.
Fifteen minutes later a police car pulled up outside the store and a cop walked in and asked the people in line to fall back. He ordered the author to stand up and turn around, handcuffed him and led him way. The customers stood gawking at what was taking place.
I asked someone who'd been in line what had happened.
"It's unbelievable," he said. "This man must have been working with several others. They were picking up books and approaching him, pretending to get them autographed. Then they slipped out of the shop with several other books in their bag. They stole a number of expensive art books."
"What about the real Mr. LeCours?" I asked. "Didn't he show up?"
"Oh, yes. He was here until lunch-time but never returned. No one noticed this man was an impostor. They're both rather nondescript-looking men, don't you think?"
The book I stole was one by Dan LeCours that I'd picked up to get autographed by the bogus author. In the commotion I forgot to pay for it. When I arrived home I opened it up and examined the signature. It wasn't nearly as good as mine!
* * * *