Across the Misty Mountains, With A Slice of Humble Pie

It’s easy to forget how small the world has become. And then something happens to remind us and, if we’re paying attention, we remember. I’ll tell you why I’m bringing this up.

Though I now cringe to repeat them, a few weeks ago in this space, I wrote the following words:

This from an item that ran under the byline of one “Misty Harris.” (And what self-respecting reporter would go around calling herself “Misty”? That’s not very nice of me. I can live with it.)

(You probably already know where this is going. But I’ll continue.)

Even in the intoxicated-by-instant-gratification state in which I compose most of my blog entries, I kind of stopped and said, “Whoa. That’s cold.” But then I thought, “Well, it's only cold if she sees it, and it’s not like she’ll ever be reading my blog.”

I should have known better. I did know better. That whole small world thing.

So, of course, a few days ago I get a lovely note from Ms. Harris herself. And it’s all gracious-like, (way more gracious than the snotty riposte I myself would have been tempted to fire off). And she even thought to explain her name, which turns out to have a strong literary connection. I’m reposting part of the note here, with Misty’s permission:

You asked: What self-respecting reporter would go around calling herself “Misty”? To which I answer: The kind whose parents read Lord of the Rings one too many times and plucked their kid’s name out of the book (as in the Misty Mountains -- I can only breath a sigh of relief that the ‘mountains’ part never made it on the birth certificate, or surely I would’ve had to install a pole in my living room or something!)

And I should add that Misty is not only a self-respecting reporter, she’s a well-respected one. In addition to being a senior writer with CanWest News Service, her bio tells us that her writing “has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Flare magazine, and inside at least one bathroom stall at a Denny’s restaurant -- the latter being a significant cultural coup.” Which, also tells us she has a sense of humor. Her bio also informs us that her plans for the future “include world domination and the use of MapQuest to locate her elusive inner giant.”

So the question is answered: what sort of reporter would go around calling herself Misty? One who has creative parents, who is herself talented, gracious, accomplished, funny and -- as you can see by the image I snagged from her bio page -- cute as a bug.

Sorry Misty. Thanks for, you know, not torching me with your acerbic wit. I would have deserved it. (And since you’re on the path to world domination, self-flagellation would seem to be the better part of valor.)