After a lot of unexpected interest, an NPR interview, two articles in the LA Times, a mild amount of controversy, and several thousand reprints and reblogs, our shopsitter position is filled.
Andrew Whalen, a nice lad from Gahanna, Ohio (no jokes, thank you) is a member of the film industry workforce in NYC. From a pool of more than 100, whittled down to 3 finalists, we picked him. Poor kid.
Because when we posted this on Facebook:
After much discussion and a prayer, we have asked Andrew Whalen, an Ohio native working in NYC’s film industry, to shopsit while we’re out trying to make every English-reading person in America like Wendy’s book. Big Stone Gappers please make him welcome! (And please do not take him to High Knob for a snipe hunt. Thank you.)
This is what happened:
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Elissa Powers dagnabbit woman! You take the fun outta everything.14 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Susan Alford But it’s OK to take him to High Knob Lake for the submarine races?14 hours ago · Like · 4 -
Tom Swadley well whut, I wanna know, does he like that dagnabbit Keltic music?? -
Kathy Osborne Still May we take him Squatch hunting?
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Elissa Powers Yes, may we?14 hours ago · Like · 1
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Jack Beck Kathy Osborne Still – you leave that nice boy alone!13 hours ago · Like · 1
Jack Beck In fact that goes for all of you ;0)13 hours ago · Like -
Susan Alford He might be nice when he arrives but…13 hours ago · Like · 2
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Paula Welch Well then where may we take him for the snipe hunt any one know a good spot ?13 hours ago · Like · 2 -
Elissa Powers ^ Paula, you and I could work well together. 😀13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Wendy Welch NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Elissa Powers What do you think she means by that?13 hours ago · Like
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Heather Scull Volk Squatchin’ it is.13 hours ago · Like
Paula Welch Why I honestly haven’t got the slightest idea .13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Elissa Powers Snipe hunt, Keokee Lake13 hours ago · Like -
Wendy Welch No moonshine13 hours ago · Like -
Heather Scull Volk Can we blindfold him and set him out near Coeburn? Pleeeeease?13 hours ago · Like · 1
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Paula Welch Sounds fine …. Someone will have to phone the man to teach him the Snipe call. Moonshine is the best Bait!13 hours ago · Like · 1
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Heather Scull Volk OMGosh – he will be here for HALLOWEEN!13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Elissa Powers eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Paula Welch Oh boy ….It’s been such a long time since I have visited my family … it does get awfully chilly up here around that time of year … -
Jack Beck Tom Swadley – I don’t know about you but I sense approaching banjos – – – –13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Elissa Powers Time to hone up on my local dialect. *ahem* *memememememeeeee*13 hours ago · Like · 2 -
Paula Welch Ohhh we could combine the Squatchin’ and snipe …. you know first you drink the moonshine … snipes like the smell of it on your breath … once you catch the sipe you set it as bait for the Squatch ,,,-
Heather Scull Volk Is he on facebook? Dang them New Yorkers with better things to do… he needs to be on facebook.13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Elissa Powers How long are we allowed to drive him around on all the old routes before we inform him we now have highways?13 hours ago · Unlike · 1
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Paula Welch John Deer or Allis Chambers ???? you know, to get around on and pull the hay wagons ?13 hours ago · Like -
Mike Still Can we tell him you need a gallon of striped paint then? -
Elissa Powers Mule.13 hours ago · Like -
Wendy Welch I dunno, Robert Gray; we may just have ruined this nice kid’s life…. -
Heather Scull Volk God love it and bless his heart.13 hours ago · Like · 2 -
Robert Gray I guess I have to take half that responsibility, Wendy. But I’m sure he’ll do just fine. It was great having a chance to meet you at SIBA and find some time to chat. I just got back to upstate New York a couple hours ago. It’s cold here! And where’s the beach? 🙂13 hours ago · Unlike · 1 -
Paula Welch He could do a film “a reflection on cultural myths and legends in pastoral Virginia.13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Heather Scull Volk BTW, I hope he drinks.13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Wendy Welch If he doesn’t now, he will before it’s over, Heather…. -
Mike Still Notice that not one of us suggested taking him on a canoe trip . . .13 hours ago · Like · 1 -
Paula Welch If I remember correctly Wendy, one of your blogs mentioned how Jack had extra bottles of a certain whiskey about … He could be given lessons on how to correctly imbibe the product.13 hours ago · Unlike ·Mike Still Better yet, tell him the shortbread had better be damned superb when you all get back.-
13 hours ago · Like · 1Elissa PowersWill you be scooping out the outhouse in advance of his arrival?13 hours ago · Like
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Paula Welch OOoo He could dig a new trench for it !13 hours ago · Unlike · 2 -
Paula Welch Elissa, perhaps you could show him aroundtown and introduce him to all th right people .-
Elissa Powers I do know people…. yes yes…
Because of the locals, I’m one of the most local.
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Rachael Miller This sounds like the perfect time for us to start our bookstore D&D game! -
Wendy Welch *tips jug over back of wrist, drinks heavily*13 hours ago · Like · 2 -
Paula Welch Such hospitality, the man will hardly know how to take it all in .13 hours ago · Like -
Wendy Welch Someone please explain to Andrew that Stacy M. Baker is not allowed to drop off any cats while we’re gone.13 hours ago · Like · 3 -
Elissa Powers We will install an anti-new-kitty force field around the house.Or I can install a couple of dachshunds.
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Paula Welch I recommend dachshunds.13 hours ago · Like · 1
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Paulina Ley Tell him who has the bail money… And who can get him out if town for the night if he needs it. -
Paulina Ley And don’t worry Wendy. I’ll protect him. It won’t be any trouble at all. I know their tricks, he will be fine.
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Jennifer P. Mullins We’ll be nice to him. We’ll cook dinner for him and take him to the movies. Maybe he’ll join our writing group. Maybe we can have a murder mystery while he’s here. New blood!! How exciting!!3 hours ago · Unlike · 2
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Wendy Welch: Books, Yarn, Cats, Opioids 