By Hook or By Crook

 When I found out that my friend, Manuel Ramos, had written another novel, I knew I needed to get the book. For my birthday my daughter asked me what gift I wanted. I told her Angels in the Wind by Manuel Ramos. She tried finding the book by calling different bookstores but nobody had it. I checked with Manuel and he said there had been a glitch in ordering enough books but that I could preorder the book. 

                                                

A month later I checked with Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Tattered Cover but no one had the book. I wrote to Manuel and asked him to pull a copy of the book and I would drive to his house to pay and pick it up. I had not heard from him by June 11, 2021, and decided to call the Tattered Cover in downtown Denver. They had no copies but they suggested I contact the store on Colfax Ave. I called the Colfax store and was told they had the book but were waiting for the author to come in to sign them. I made sure that they put a copy on hold for me and I would drive to the store on Saturday, June 12.

What a scary drive it turned out to be with the many changes that have happened since the last time I drove downtown. I recognized nothing! Landmarks I remembered seeing and anchoring me were gone. The Brighton bridge was completely gone and on both sides of Brighton Blvd are tall apartment buildings. I was on Broadway in the downtown area before I knew it. The names of the streets were the same, yet I did not recognize most of the buildings. I took Broadway until I reached Colfax and had to make sure I moved all the way to the left to be in a turning lane. I did hear honking as I traveled across three lanes but do not know if cars were honking at me or some other driver!

Colfax seemed narrower than I remember. Two lanes, cars parked on the street, buses causing traffic jams as they slowly lumbered into a driving lane.  As I drove down Colfax my hands got sweaty, my heart seemed to be in my throat and a few times I felt as if cars were inches away from hitting me. Every nerve in my body was on high alert! I didn't dare look anywhere but in front of me and prayed that no car would hit me. Or worse, that I might hit someone. There were so many cars, both going and coming and I hated driving in the crowded street.

Finally,  I found the Tattered Cover but no place to park. I passed car after car parked on the street. What made it worse was a Farmer's Market going on across the street. Such congestion! I turned right at the next street, which I believe was Elizabeth, and happened to see a driveway to my right. I drove in and what a surprise to find myself in the Tattered Cover parking lot. I went in to the store, picked up the book and with fear in my heart I knew I had to face the horrible drive back. I turned left at the light on Colfax and then turned right on Josephine street and I figured it would be better than going on Colfax. I don't know when Josephine turned to York street but I was pretty sure that York met up with I-70. I continued on York until I turned West and found the ramp to I-70 closed. I turned North and ended up near some oil tanks and the smell of gas/diesel/oil was quite strong and I wondered if I could possibly be near Commerce City! I wandered around different streets, saw road repair work and decrepit buildings.  I didn't know where I was and decided to follow a detour until I found the entrance to West I-76. I got my bearings and headed for home.

If my blog readers are wondering why I did not use my GPS on my phone, I am sorry to say I had forgotten my phone at home!

A trip that should have been no longer than an hour took almost two hours plus a lot of anxiety. The only consolation I have is that now I have another of Manuel's books to add to my collection!

I was honored to take the author's

picture on his first novel!