$$$$

Okie, so today I stroll into my house at 11pm after a hefty study session at a friend's place and check the mail. Actually, the word study is a malapropism of sorts. What I meant was a eat-drink-and-be-merry session at a friend's place. Eight of us getting together to try and implant some Software Engineering knowledge in each others minds. The trouble is that only thing we learnt is that 0 multiplied by 8 remains 0. In order to teach the others, someone in the group must know something in the first place. So after four hours, a lot of jokes, some juice and snacks and a few "this-is-sure-to-come" questions, we all left.

And that's where my story actually begins. So I reach home and check my mail. Not e-mail, the actual post-it-in-an-envelope variety. There's this envelope for me that's got AIR MAIL stamped onto it. That isn't too unusual since I do know quite a few people who live outside the country. It seemed really strange, though, that any of them would actually resort to snail-mail to send me something other than a Christmas or birthday card. So with a puzzled frown spreading on my forehead, I rip it open.

And whaddaya know!! It's a check...

Yup! That's right, mes amis!! A genuine, bona fide check! So I look at the address - Pleasantville, NY. Now I don't know anyone from there, so I turn to the accompanying note to try and elicit some more information about my anonymous benefactor. And that's when I get my biggest surprise! Reader's Digest!!

It suddenly all comes back to me. They must have selected one of my articles! Yay!! I immediately break out into a Chandler Dance! I double check (pun intended) the whole the thing to make sure it's legit. And it is!! There's even this small paragraph that goes -

"By your endorsement of this check, you hereby transfer and assign to the Reader's Digest Association, Inc. all right title and interest, including all rights of copyright, in and to the following literary work ... "

Now, I know that for all you software engineers out there with your fat pay-checks, 100$ isn't a big deal, but to me it is. Because it's my first WRITER'S CHECK! All the money I've won at stupid events at various symposia may in monetary value be worth more than this; but that's irrelevant! Even if the check was for 2$ it would be just as important to me. Because it's a my first goddamned writer's check.

It's like the poor artist, who although he loves his work, can never sell any of it. So he's living in poverty, trying to make ends meet. And then suddenly one day someone buys a piece. That's what I'm feeling like right now! I'm on my way! Try and stop me now, guys!

Okie, I'm still very excited about the whole thing! Maybe I should frame the damn thing.... Hmm... I gotta do another Chandler dance!!

(And then to sober me down a little bit and dampen my excitement, I find out that my sister's planning to have a massive sleepover tomorrow night with all her friends coming! On second thoughts, a bunch of girls in their nighties having a pillow-fight doesn't seem so bad...)