The Baltimore Bibliophile was also at the meeting to winnow the final ten down to just a few, as a volunteer for the Maryland Humanities Council helping out with the One Book Program. The committee includes movers and shakers from libraries around the state, journalists, professors, university administrators, bookstore owners and managers, and others. Everybody I met was genuinely friendly, happy to meet me, and interested in what I'm doing here. No one at the OMOB meeting looked over my shoulder to find someone more important in the room. I didn't get any phony smiles. I wasn’t brushed off.
I'm astonished by the friendliness of Baltimoreans, and in this case, Marylanders in general, all the more so in the literary world, sad to say. My ability to read a situation is compromised because what do I make of a gathering where everyone is pleasant? How do I know who to like if everyone is nice? How do I discuss books and publishing without one-up-manship? My goodness, are we always actually going to listen to each other's opinions and suggestions so pleasantly? How refreshing!
People here are open and happy and interested and interesting and by far the very best part of moving to Baltimore.
You'll be saying "Hon," "Bawlmer" and "goin' downy ocean" in no time!
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