Is He Some Kind of a Nut?

That's what my attorney wanted to know when he drew up the final release for Ed Calkins. A year and a half ago, he had prepared the initial release allowing me to use Ed's identity in Bryony. With the drafts of books two and three completed, I decided it was time to legally seal Ed's permssion, just in case, although I had already verbally acquired it. So, this last release covers all three books. "Well, no," I said. "He just has a very active imagination." My attorney still seemed doubtful. "Really," I said. "He had already fictionalized himself. I just took it one step further." "But doesn't he want to get anything from this?" "Oh, sure. He wants to be known." "That's it?" my attorney sounded incredulous. I could understand that. How many people would allow a literary, "Do with me what you will?" I certainly wasn't trusting enough of anyone to give them carte blanche with my identity, even in fun. "He just wants to be famous. Oh, and then there's the parade." "The parade?" "Ed is hoping someday the masses will celebrate his birthday as a national holiday with a parade. "Oh." My attorney prepared the draft and Ed, without even reviewing it, quickly and happily signed it.