Tyler on the Move: Davis Soroptimist

By Tyler Oaks

I have a theory about flip-flops, those inexpensive sandals so popular on the beach. People who wear them are comfortable, easy to talk with, and make life seem better somehow. My favorite book signings have been in places where flip-flops are commonplace: San Diego, Carlsbad, Maui.

Over the weekend, the Soroptimist International of Greater Davis held their Artists and Authors Fair to raise funds for women re-entering education. As I sat in my booth as a participant, Sacramento CBS news anchor Sam Shane walked in with copies of his children’s book, Rocky the Mudhen. When I glanced down at his feet and noticed his leather flip-flops, I knew he was someone I wanted to talk with. I wasn’t disappointed.

While drug scandals have stolen the innocence from baseball in recent times, Sam remembers his years of playing and wanted to give the raw enjoyment of the game back to children. Apart from the commercialism, scandals, and outrageous salaries, Sam takes children back to the why of baseball. Why do we play? Why do we love the game?

This is what authors do, reveal the world from a perspective worth seeing things from. Sometimes that means returning to the why of what we enjoy in life and then sharing that with our readers in a new way. In the same way flip-flops zap pretentiousness; when we’re honest with ourselves we can be honest with others, and that does make the world seem a whole lot better.

Flip-flops come off easily so we can feel the sand between our toes. They’re adaptable, bear the image of our own unique footprint, and somehow ensure straightforward conversation. Books should be the same.