It is strange to me, how those I met when I lived in Fairbanks in the mid-to late 1980s are resurfacing, or maybe a better term is circling back.

First there was Frank Soos who contacted me and took my essay about bicycling from Fairbanks to Valdez, then died.

Then there was Ken Waldman who is coming to Palmer this upcoming week, and who I may see in passing.

And now there is the memory of Bill Fuller, who was a close neighbor and good friend when I lived two houses down from him, on Cloudberry Lane.

When he died, I took his archival material thinking that it should all be kept together and also that it was important – it was his life’s work. I’ve had these materials for years – I wanted to write about his life but couldn’t figure out who the audience for his work might be.

Our old friend Sean, who I rented from and who we have kept in touch with, called Pete last night and said that the U of Mass Amherst wanted the archival materials. Then Sean called early this morning – early, which is unusual because he is a night owl, saying that the St. John’s, who were close family friends, want the archive material.

I figured that if the University or the St. John’s paid for it, I’d send it to them asap.

Midmorning, Pete was out on a bicycle ride when I got a call from Dan St. John who was interested in finding out what became of the archived materials. I told him that I have it all, in my writing cabin. I think he was glad to hear this.

He then told me some about Bill’s history, which I already knew but I listened to him. Then he slipped into the conversation that Nancy, Bill’s wife ,recently died. Now she was 100 years old; however, I still then and now feel bad about this. Grief is a funny thing – when you hear someone died, whether it be recently or in the past, you still mourn. And I am mourning Nancy’s passing.

Dan then mentioned that funding would be available for shipping – I then told him some about the Bright Lights Book Project and that I would consider this an archival offshoot. Dan wanted to know more about the book project, so I told him more.

He said he has money, so I am hoping that he might want to be a benefactor. I think that benefactor is the step that precedes being a philanthropist.

It didn’t take me long to come up with a plan. I’m going to send him a package of materials about the project. I’m going to include a letter and invite him here. Sean told Pete that the St. John’s travel around the world, doing some kind of marble art. I found myself wondering if we can get them here to do this.

The St. John’s had also been to Kenya and are very aware of the lack of books in the schools. So this might be another connection.

This is a lot to think about. I will get the packet ready tomorrow and into the mail on Monday. And I’ll start looking at the archival materials.

Begin with a plan, says Steven Covey.

Next: 100. 4/12/26: Lickity Split