Waiting for the spot on my lip.

In the fourth season of Seinfeld, the season finale was a two-part episode called "The Pilot." No, not the one where Jerry gets freaked out by the appearance of an airline pilot in his audience in Ithaca and then gets kicked off the plane on the flight home. The pilot of Jerry and George's sit-com, Jerry--a show about nothing.

As they are casting the pilot, Jerry (I think) notices a white spot on George's lip. George becomes obsessed with the spot, asking everyone he encounters what they think it is. He figures this is the universe keeping him in check, to balance out his impending success as a TV writer. Eventually, he consults a doctor (but not Dr. Van Nostrand, as portrayed occasionally by Kramer).

In the end, of course, the spot is nothing. George is relieved. But...Jerry is not picked up by NBC.

Why am I describing a Seinfeld episode from 1993 on my Web site?

Because I am waiting for the spot on my lip. Things are going well. I had a marketing meeting yesterday for What Happened on Smith Street (really should have chosen a shorter title--had no idea I would be typing it so many times). The meeting was initiated by one client and joined by another, as they wanted to discuss ways they could help me promote my novel.

That's right: Clients. People who pay me for my freelance work. Looking for ways to help me promote my novel. And they came up with quite a few, excellent ideas.

This sort of thing doesn't just happen. And, as Rebecca, my friend and Overlord-in-Charge of the Erin K. Rice Fan Club, noted, it's not just that I have people who are willing to help. They are eager to help; they are proactive with this help; and they are the absolute cream of their respective crops.

I don't know why all these good people are helping me. I do know that I am beyond grateful. I'm not sure I deserve it.

And that is why I am waiting for the spot on my lip. Because, surely something will happen to balance this good fortune.

Or, as Rebecca also noted yesterday, perhaps the universe has bigger fish to fry and I should just shut my mouth about it.