Foolish Pride

Generally, I subscribe to the concept that the customer is always right. As a freelance writer, this means that the editor is always right. When you've got as much experience as I do (read: you're as old as I am), it's not always easy, but it's necessary and right.

This morning I had to sort of jiggle the cage of an editor who hasn't responded to material I submitted almost a month ago. Her response indicated that, although most of the project was complete, I had not yet submitted the main text. In a panic, I checked my "sent mail." 

Thank God, the e-mail and attachment were right there, clearly sent. So was my reply to her response indicating she would read the text soon.

I was left with a choice between leaving the impression that I was almost a month late on a deadline or contradicting an editor.

A Solomon's choice. 

I am not Solomon. 

In the end, my response referred to the date and time of the original submission and included the text "in case it went astray in cyberspace," despite the editor's response, to which I did not refer.

It's done, but I still don't know whether not accepting full responsibility for an error I did not commit was good business or foolish pride.

We'll see.