Sunday, May 22, 2011

When a character steps from the book and introduces himself...

I think I met Rorak from Storm Clouds Over Sexton and Sexton Sand!
   It was weird. Stranger than fiction, really, to look across a room and wonder why a guy I've never met looked so familiar.
   I was at a trade show yesterday, working my booth, enjoying myself, and not thinking about Sexton at all. On the other side of the aisle was a booth. The man working the booth looked familiar. I was sure I'd never met him, but his mannerisms seemed familiar, and so did his face.
   After a while I realized he looked exactly as I imagined Rorak would look. He was slightly stocky, with head and beard of silver-gray. He had a ready smile and a zest for life that shined through. I wasn't watching him any more than he was watching me--which is to say we didn't observe each other any more than we observed anyone else. I can't speak for him, but I'll tell you it's a habit of mine. I pay attention to what people around me look like, speak like, act like, and what they're doing.
  It took me about three hours to realize why the guy looked familiar. My God, I'm looking at Rorak, I thought. Rorak isn't a real guy. He's the leader of the Bandit Brigade Diversionary Force, recruited by Tom to cause disruptions in Crescens while he and John and Andy cause trouble of their own.
  When things slowed down in the afternoon, my friend I'd never met came over and introduced himself. He'd never been to Frankenmuth, MI. Indeed, he'd never heard of it. That surprised me almost as much as the realization that he reminded me of a person I made up. Then he explained why he'd never heard of Frankenmuth--he's from South Africa and only recently moved to the United States. He was a cool guy.  We couldn't talk for long, of course, because we were working.
  I'm glad I met him. I can't tell you his name because I don't remember what it is...
   ...As far as I'm concerned, the guy's name is Rorak. Graduate of Sisticuf, military academy of Sexton, and leader of the Bandit Brigade Diversionary Force.

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