Spotlight: Salvatore Buttaci

Salvatore Buttaci will possibly spend today celebrating – but not because he gets to spend around seven hours a day doing something he enjoys, something he started doing at the age of nine: writing, and also not because of the success of his book of short stories, Flashing My Shorts.

Sal will probably begin his day the way he always begins his day, by kissing his wife, but I would guess he won’t be doing much writing today except for perhaps a few “see-you-later ideas” in the notebook he carries.

He may find himself reflecting on the past today, perhaps thinking about the thirty years he spent as an English teacher “teaching students from middle school to college to love the English language enough to want to write creatively.”

He may think about the future and wonder if he’ll ever meet the guardian that protected him at different points in his life, like in October of 1965. His cousin, Jack, was driving in pouring rain on bald tires when he lost control of the car. The rescue crew worked for an hour to free Sal and Jack from the white Pontiac “accordion,” but Sal says, “God had our back.” Both walked away with only cuts and bruises.

It’s possible Sal will think today of the family of ten he grew up in, thankful for the strong Christian faith his parents taught because though only two sisters remain alive today, Sal has hope for a great reunion in the future.

Sal may even dream today of returning to Sicily, the place of his roots, a place he has not seen since he was a young man.

Sal may do, think, and remember many things today. The possibilities are endless.

It’s even possible, maybe even probable, that today Sal will wake up, kiss his wife, and thank God for answering prayers fourteen years ago.

Happy Anniversary Sal and Sharon Buttaci! I wish you many, many more!