my imagination

i don’t try to ride coattails
or search for endorsements from famous people
but one time i did give a copy of Stone Hotel
to a rock star for whom i have enormous respect
i was hoping maybe that he’d read it and be so blown away
he’d mention it on Twitter or something
and help me get some (much-needed) exposure
and sell some fucking books
it was a mistake
the next time i saw him
he said, “i read your book…there’s a lot of darkness in there.”
and while he was polite and friendly
he was also a bit wary, i think, or maybe it was
just my imagination
in any case
he never mentioned Stone Hotel on Twitter
or anywhere else
but i want to make it clear
this does not change my opinion of him in any way
i still think he’s truly one of the greats
of this or any other age
and the last time i saw him
he gave me a hug
so maybe it was my imagination, after all