I would have made fulfilling my obligations a priority

In the fall following the pandemic, I offered my typesetting services to an elderly woman whose husband, who had passed away prematurely, had left behind the translation of a book of great international significance, in the form of a stack of typewritten pages. After agreeing on the payment and the number of pages to be typeset per day, I was temporarily unable to deliver what I had promised.

The lady in question, who had not paid any advance, unilaterally ended our collaboration, no longer wishing to send me new sections of the manuscript, which, however, had begun to captivate me as I progressed through the typesetting process.

If I could go back in time, I would have prioritized the assignment I had committed to, or at least tried to salvage the friendly relationship after my former client’s unilateral withdrawal.  Something I believe I owed, out of collegiality, including to her deceased husband, who was, like me, a translator and writer—but greater than me, judging by the body of work he left behind.