A man loses his pen

This is the title of our new novel.  The plot involves a dignified, sandy whiskered gentleman who locks his 115 year old fountain pen in a safe every night.  One afternoon he opens the safe to write a letter to a long-lost friend. The pen is not there. Length- 200 pages. Anticipated date of publication: Summer 2010

Cast of Characters:

Walt- 60 years old; works as an auditor for the National Space Program, lives in Burleith

Walt’s daughter- 28 years old, assistant cartographer for the Admiral of the Navy, lives in Dupont Circle

Walt’s ex-wife- 52 years old, heiress to a tobacco fortune, lives in Georgetown

Arthur- The dog next door, a Sheltie, only barks at men wearing old fashioned hats. Walt occasionally wears an old fashioned hat.

Pawn Shop Owner- A patron to the arts, has been a mentor to many inner-city kids.

Mentee- Very bright fifth grade student. Has a crush on a girl who doesn’t like him.

Plot

This book will alternate between the story of Walt and his family and the journey of his lost pen, alternating chapters.

Walt- No longer talks to ex-wife, visits with his daughter once a week when she brings him rare stamps from her travels.  Believing he misplaced his lost pen, Walt thinks his mind is slowly disintegrating out of old age.  He start to try to re-connect with his ex- and only-wife

Pen- Stolen by a criminal group that live in the building across from Walt. When they realize it is of little value, they sell it to a pawn shop.  The owner of the pawn shop is in the big brothers mentor plan.  He gives it to his mentee, a bright young fifth grader from southeast, as a Christmas present.  After writing many important notes with the pen, the girl that the mentee likes circles “no” (do you like me- circle one).  The mentee is sad, and decides to get rid of his pen.  That day, President Obama comes to visit the charter school, trying to save the dying federal school voucher program.  The boy gives the president his pen. The President can tell the pen is quite valuable, but accepts the gift anyway. The next day, the President signs the controversial “DC Crime Bill.”

End- Reading The Washington Post, Walt spies his pen on the front page, in the hand of the president.  The next week, he watches cops circle around the house across the street. Walt walks down to meet the heiress and his daughter at the Leoncino café.