This is the story of Lenny Bender, a man who finds his basic freedom in life driving to and from work. He lives intuitively with an innate ability to flow with circumstance and relishes neither knowing nor controlling what comes next. When he returns home from work one evening, Lenny discovers his wife, Pamela, had moved more of his things including his guitar into the attic, and that she had done the impossible, ruined his favorite dish, lasagna. Alienated from his own home, Lenny ventures out in his '62 Triumph to a familiar world that is altered forever. "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way" is a black humor novel about postmodern America that intertwines social reality with driving, baseball, relationships, and the delicate balance of life held together by a thread. Lenny's tale is intricately crafted, weaving past and present in a tapestry that captures the heart and soul of experience.
About the Author: Dale Vidmar is a product of growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Oregon in his mid-twenties where he made a living as a hardwood floor layer and put himself through a B.A. in English and Education as well as a Master's in General Studies Humanities and a Master's in Library Science. On a more personal note, Dale loves riding his bicycle, perhaps even more than he loves driving. When he was eighteen, he rode about 1700 miles across Canada with his brother. He rides his bike nearly every day-to and from work, shopping, playing, etc. because riding gives him time to reflect upon the day and life. He loves to travel and venture out on long drives and trips to places where he can ride his bike or snorkel. Travel provides the opportunity to turn the world around and discover alternate perspectives and realities. There are two sayings that resonate with Dale. The first he discovered during a faculty exchange in Guanajuato, Mexico-"Respeto es un valor uníca"-"Respect is the only value". The other, he found in a computer book back in the late 90s from a person named Betty Bender. "Anything that I ever did that was ultimately worthwhile, initially scared me to death. To combine both ideas translates as, "Go forth and confront life. Push beyond obstacles such as fear and insecurity, but respect all that is in your path and consciousness." Currently, Dale is a professor and a librarian at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. But the city he grew up in and the sports teams he followed as a boy still course through his veins. This novel is the product of many miles and a fertile mind steeped in darjeeling tea.