After sitting through another epic meeting in a non-air conditioned cafeteria, doing stretching exercises with the other faculty, rolling my shoulders like a penguin, I snuck out into the hall. I wasn't the only one. "Did you hear from them?" asked my friend, John.

Whenever I bump into someone, they ask the same question.

"Not yet," I said.

He shrugged. "Drop them a line. It couldn't hurt."

So I decided to email my agent. After all, it's been about 6 weeks since I heard the news.

"Should I be galloping to the mailbox? Or holding my breath?" I wrote.

"Keep holding your breath," she beamed back within minutes (God bless her). "I sent a nudging email this morning and was assured that they're working on it."

I like the term, "nudging." That's her job: professional pest. She added, "Don't forget to send me your personal details so I can enter you into our system and eventually get you paid."

Eventually.

Now I'm waiting for my contract, my check, and a kitten in the mail.

I can hold my breath for half a minute. How about you?