Because of the research that went into writing Jessie's Story, I find myself wondering about friends with whom I have lost touch. Sometimes, that leads me to the people search. Recently, I have located and talked to two friends from the distant past. It seems to me that everyone I know should know each other, and sometimes I take a moment to place them in their slots of time and place.
Sherry belongs in the "early Alaska" slot. Without her, the book would have been very different. She is the one who accompanied her husband to Eagle in 1975, taking with her Jessie's photo album. Her assignment was to see if she could find out if any of the pictures in the album were of the trunk's owner. On that trek, she not only identified Jessie, but many others, beginning with the Native dancers. It was the presentation of these photos that led to the potlatch on July 2nd 2007.
Jean's slot goes back to college days. We lived across the hall from each other in the dormitory and wore our green beanies with the big, orange "P" for orientation to George Pepperdine College in the early 60's. She was from Arkansas, the baby of her family...if my memory is correct, her mother was a widow, Jean had two burly, rough-and-tumble, BIG brothers and a sister who was a missionary in Korea. What I remember most about "Jeanie Belle" was that she had short, red hair and freckles, and she loved to sing.
I remember someone asking her if her mother had been bitten by a Victrola when pregnant with Jean. I remember she went home with me for Thanksgiving, and when my Mother made me a new dress, she made one for Jean, too.
Thanks to the Internet, these connections were made. What fun...to catch up on friends of old and, yes, old friends. I am wondering if you have found anyone?
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Connections! They're coming at me from all directions these days!
1. I recently located my long-lost pen pal, Ruby. We wrote from 5th grade through our early "motherhood" years, then lost track of each other. Turns out Ruby lives in the town where our son, d-i-l, and granddaughter live; and I live in the same town as her daughter and family! We'll be meeting each other at Christmas time, when we go visit the kids.
2. My dear friend, Gloria, who used to live in Newberg, when we did, had a best friend in high school (at CCHS). Turns out my kids' best friends, in Houston area, are Gloria's best friend's daughter and son-in-law. Gloria figured all this out by reading my d-i-l's blog.
3. I was just reading Patty's blog, and saw her mention Andrew and Aimee Martin. We knew Andrew's parents, Joy and Dave, also from our Newberg years, because they, too, were and are close friends of Gloria's and her husband, Ken.
Like I said . . . connections EVERYWHERE.
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