Two x Three Beautiful Things 07/20 ,21/07: Flip, Flop, Bonfire, The Deke is Back, Wildcat, Model A

Special Kellogg High School Class of '72 Reunion Edition:

1. Friday afternoon I took my first ever float down the North Fork. Unbelievable I'd never done it before and once I got on the inner tube, was it ever obvious I was a rookie as I flopped around like a croppie on a lake dock trying to get positioned on the tube and trying to get stable. I flipped once, hat went flying, sunglasses to the bottom of the river, sunscreen floating away. My friends complimented the perfection of my back flip. Lots of great laughs. I was happy to provide them.

2. New inner tube. Lost it, too. Everyone floated down the river and I staggered like Nick Nolte on a three day bender down the river, until I caught up to my friends who beached and waited for me. We all agreed: no more tubes for Pert. So we unloaded the raft used for coolers, with three people's help, I flopped into the raft, a cooler between my legs, and, as we floated along, my friends threw all their empty beer and soft drink cans on top of me because the raft was the litter boat, too. My nickname became TM, Trash Man. Lots of great laughs. I was happy to provide them. Maybe some Trash Man pix later.

3. Bonfire. Green sticks. Sausages. Salads. Chips. Friends I see often. Old friends I hadn't seen for over thirty years. The reunion kicked into high gear. Stories. Laughs. Embraces. Handshakes. Oh my! Feelings of affection and regret and confusion I thought were long gone welled up along with feelings of joy and respect and fellowship in the present moment....they all combined to make this first reunion night one of intense elation.

4. The Deke drove from Eugene to Kellogg. I called her while she was making her way around Lake Cd'A. Suddenly she said, "I gotta go. I'm about to have an accident!" Click. I started to shake and wanted to vomit and empty my bowels. I paced in my mom's living room. I started trying to call the Deke back: about ten or more straight times I was sent to her answering service. I started scanning the local news stations. Was there a wreck? How badly hurt were they? Nothing. Finally, my call to the Deke came through. "Are you all right!"
"Yeah, I'm at the Smelterville Wal*Mart."
"You didn't have an accident? Did you avoid it?"
"What? Oh. No. God, I'm sorry. I just had to get off the phone."

Then I understood. She meant it didn't feel safe to talk and drive. It was like shorthand for "If I don't get off the phone, I'm afraid I might have an accident."

I was so relieved. Cell phone service over the 4th of July Pass is lousy. That was why I hadn't been able to reach the Deke. She hadn't wanted to get back on the phone and hadn't meant for her words to mean what I heard them as.

The Deke got home I hugged and I had to relieve myself, take a nap, and be a little late for the reunion.

I don't remember when I've been so scared and worried.

It was beautiful to see my wife drive up to my mom's house and to get everything straightened out.

5. I'd had a story about a wildcat strike in the Zinc Plant Cell Room bugging me for years. I knew Mike Woodruff, the company's president's son was on the shift that went out on the wildcat strike. I'd heard different things about what he did and how he was protected because he didn't support the strike. I had a long talk with Mike. I got it all straightened out, though I'll probably pursue this whole thing more via email with him.

6. John Hopper took me for a spin in his 1930 Ford Model A. It's the oldest car I've ever been in and it was a real pleasure to ride and to talk with John about his interests and the whereabouts of mutual friends.