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MEANWHILE. O f Fishing, Baseball, and Grace by Alison Pride I t was 198S and I was 22 an d f r e s h from c o l l e g e and a summer in A la s k a . I was f i n a l l y a t th e b e a c h , d e t e r m in e d t o l i v e a l i t t l e w h ile f i g u r i n g o u t e x a c t l y , o n ce a n d f o r a l l , w hat my l i f e was a l l a b o u t - - n o s m a ll a s s i g n m ent f o r one so c o n f u s e d . B ut 1 was f u l l o f g ra n d a m b i t i o n s b ack t h e n . Som eone o n ce t o l d me, among o t h e r p i e c e s o f wisdom I v a lu e t o t h i s d a y , t h a t th e two t h i n g s t h a t w ould i n f l u e n c e me t h e m ost in my l i f e w ould be th e p e o p le I w ould m eet and t h e books I w ould rea d . I was no s t r a n g e r t o b o o k s , h a v in g b een c a l l e d f o r t h from one book o r a n o t h e r w h ile 1 was g ro w in g up by my m o th e r , who i n v i t e d me t o r e j o i n t h e " r e a l ” w o rld w h e n e v e r i t a p p e a r e d my w i t h d ra w a l m ig h t be i r r e v e r s i b l e . I m ig h t a l s o add t h a t I 'd come t o t h e b e a c h w ith some v a g u e id e a o f r e d i s c o v e r ing God. I was q u e s t i o n i n g th e f a i t h t h a t had o n c e seem ed a s n a t u r a l to me a s f e e l i n g h u n g ry an d e a t i n g . At tim e s I was g id d y w ith t h e p r o s p e c t of u n fe tte re d in te lle c tu a l f l i g h t , o t h e r tim e s s c a r e d o f a b a n d o n in g s o m e th in g t h a t had a lw a y s a p p e a r e d so s e c u r e . I t was j u s t y o u r t y p i c a l s p ir itu a l quest or c r i s i s , h o w e v er you want t o look a t i t . I r e a d a l o t o f b o o k s mv f i r s t w i n t e r on th e c o a s t , some m ore s u c c e s s f u l l y th a n o th e rs . One I was h a v in g p a r t i c u l a r t r o u b l e w ith was Zen and th e A rt o f M o to r c y c le Ma i n t e n a n c c . f i n a l T y , Tru t r a t e d Ky my own la c k o f p e r s e v e r e n c e , I c o n f e s s e d my d i f f i c u l t y to a f r i e n d , who d i d n ’ t s i g h o r s n e e r a t me d i s d a i n f u l l y , b u t h an d ed me a c o p y o f The R iv e r Why by D avid Ja m e s D u n can . "Try t h i s i n s t e a d , he t o l d me. The c o v e r w a s n 't e n t i c i n g Some guy in a b o a t f l y f i s h i n g ( o r was i t b a i t ? ) . The o n ly tim e I 'd a tt e m p t e d to c a s t a l i n e , I 'd c a u g h t th e hook in my e a r l o b e . And th e o n ly o th e i tim e I ' d f i s h e d , o f f a b r i d g e . I 'd t r i e d t o p s y c h i c a l l y w arn th e f i s h aw ay , h o r r i f i e d by t h e p r o s p e c t t h a t I m ight a c t u a l l y la n d one and hav e to k ill it. O f c o u r s c , you d o n 't hav e t o l i k e f i s h i n g t o lo v e The R iv e r Why, a s th o u s a n d s b e s i d e my’s c T f how know. And I c a n n o t b e g in t o t e l l you ( w ith o u t s o u n d in g f o o l i s h l y r h a p s o d i c a l and s e n t i m e n t a l ) a l l th e g i f t t h a t book g a v e to me. So im p r e s s e d was I t h a t I t r a v e l l e d , t h e n e x t s p r i n g w ith my room m a te down th e c o a s t in s e a r c h o f t h e a u t h o r , so m e th in g I 'd n o t d o n e b e f o r e and hav e n e v e r done s in c e . T h at s h o u ld t e l l you s o m e th in g . And we found him ( o k a y , he w a s n 't h i d i n g a l l t h a t h a rd ). He was s t a n d i n g in h i s f r o n t y a rd ( i f you c o u ld r e a s o n a b l y c o n s t r u e a v e ry w i l d l y o v e rg ro w n f i e l d a s a v a r d ) , show ing a s m a ll boy th e f i n e r p o i n t s o f c a s t i n g (a s c e n e w h ich e r a s e d any d o u b ts w e 'd had a b o u t l o c a t i n g th e r ig h t h o u se ). At f i r s t a l i t t l e shy and r e t i c e n t , he warmed up c o n s i d e r a b l y when we p r o d u c e d o u r o f f e r i n g ( o r b r i b e ) - a b o t t l e o f Chimay A l e - - a n d a g r e e d to f o llo w him o u t i n t o th e " y a r d " t o s i t on a lo g ( b e c a u s e , he c o n f e s s e d , he c o u l d n 't t h i n k w h ile s t a n d in g u p ) . And a lt h o u g h tim e h a s b l u r r e d m ost o f th e c o n v e r s a t i o n ' s c o n t e n t , I do remem b e r th e sun on my f a c e , th e b e e s b u z z in g w ith s p r i n g t i m e f e r v o r a ro u n d o u r h e a d s , th e th w a c k , th w ack o f D u n c an ’ s so n D o o n ic a s he a tt e m p t e d to d e m o lis h w h o le , r o t t i n g lo g s w ith a s t i c k , and th e g r a c i o u s p r e s e n c e o f D avid Jam es Dun 6 Literature h n i m s e i l i f a s he a n s w e r e d o u r e n d le s s q u e s tio n s and h e s i t a n t ly a c c e p t e d o u r a d u l a t i o n . F or m e, i t w i l l f o r e v e r be one o f th o s e m om ents in l i f e I lo o k b ack on and u n d e r s t a n d t h a t , w h a te v e r o r w hoever I t h i n k God i s a t th e m om ent, I s t i l l b e l i e v e in g r a c e . He t o l d us he was a t work on a n o t h e r n o v e l ( i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t r e a s s u r e d us tr e m e n d o u s ly ) and t h a t i t was t e n t a t i v e l y t i t l e d The B ro t h e r s K, a b o u t f o u r b r o t K c r s who" p la y e d b a s e b a ll. We a s s u r e d him t h a t a l th o u g h n e i t h e r o f u s f i s h e d o r w ere p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t e d in b a s e b a l l , we w ould a w a it th e new book w ith th e same e n t h u s ia s m w ith w hich we r e v e r e d The R iv e r Why. AnJ we w a i t e d . My f r i e n d I moved b ack t o S e a t t l e , lo a n e d my copy o f The Ri v e r Why to so many p e o p le i t ’ s not r e t i r e d , on my s h e l f , in th r e e s e p a ra te p ie c e s . And i t o l d my s t o r y a b o u t m e e tin g Duncan to m ore p e o p le th a n p r o b a b ly w a n te d to h e a r i t , n e v e r f o r g e t t i n g t o in fo rm them t h e r e was a new book on th e way (a n d th e y h e a r d i t from me firs t). I h e a r d rum ors o v e r th e BO At 1 A . e.i r » . ' Duncan had d i v o r c e d and moved to P o rt l a n d , Duncan was w r i t i n g h i s new b o o k , D u n c a n 's c o m p u te r had e a t e n h i s b o o k , D u n c a n 's dog had e a t e n h i s b o o k , t h e r e was no b o o k . Not know ing what To sp e a k o f "m e re w o rd s " i s to b e l i e v e o r d i s b e l i e v e , I much l i k e s p e a k in g o f "m e re s h e lv e d my im p a tie n c e a n d . . . d y n a m it e . " v a11 ed . - L .J . D ucasse And I'm h e r e to t e l l y o u . in c a s e no one e l s e h a s , t h a t The B ro th e rs K was WORTH THI. WATT. A m b itio u s in i t s sc o p e and c a s t o f zany c h a r a c t e r s , s a t i s y i n g l y lo n g ( I h a te t o s e e a good book e n d ) and e m o t i o n a l l y r e s o n a n t w ith o u t b e in g ( t o o t e r r i b l y ) m a n ip u la t i v e , i t i s a w o rth y s u c c e s s o r to The R iv e r Whv. Duncan h a s n o t l o s t Tn s s e n s e o f hum or, h i s p e r s p e c t i v e , o r one i o t a o f h i s c o m p a s s io n f o r human b e in g s c a u g h t in th e o f t e n d a n g e r o u s and so m e tim es a g o n i z i n g p r o c e s s o f m aking sen se o f th e ir liv e s . By th i tim e you r e l u c t a n t l y c l o s e tl. • book and sa y f a r e w e l l t o th e C hance f a m i l y , you may f e e l e x a c t l y l i k e I d id - - n o t l i k e w r i t i n g a book r e v ie w , bu t l i k e b u y in g i t a s a C h r i s t mas p r e s e n t f o r a i l my f r i e n d s (a n d I w i l l , i f I win th e l o t t e r y ) . Duncan shows us a g a i n , i n I he B ro t her K, ■■■'•■ re a lly g o o d w r C te r s J o n ’ t h av e to ( U i Otn,v Street know t h e a n s w e rs t o w r i t e Oicauri 97401 T«4cphorw 4 M OS 12 r e a l l y good b o o k s - - t h e y j u s t h av e t o be a b l e t o a sk and w r i t e w e ll a b o u t th e q u e s t i o n s And i t a l s o g o e s to show one o t h e r t h i n g : so m e tim e s you m eet p e o p le t h a t h e lp you d i s c o v e r s o m e th in g im por t a n t a b o u t l i v i n g and a b o u t y o u rs e lf. And so m e tim e s you r e a d a b o o k . . . and y o u r l i f e ch an g es th e n , to o . can T h e s e b o o k s (T h e B r o t h e r s k and The R iv e r Why) a r e a v a i l a b l e a t L a n n o n B each Book Company. IN NEWPORT The f a l l r a i n s h a v e com e. The to u ris t n o rd es a re t h i n n i n g and p a r k i n g i s once m ore p o s s i b l e , Y et t h i s i s a sa d tim *’ when o ld fn e n s h ip s a re s o re ly trie d . when e v e n e n d a n g e re d fa m ilia l tie « a re ;t iihROOM TIME I K ing Y es, th e C h a n tr e lle s . m ore B o le te s . nnd e v e n t h e in th a n w o r th it# w e ig h t « ill v e r r t a t s u s a k e a r* - r . s i n g from t h e i r m y c e l i a l m a s se s t o te m p t th e c u p id ity . O ld nnn d e a r f r i e n d s d e v e l o p a s h i f t y lo o k a ro u n d t h e i r e y e s , a re se rv e th a t b o rd ers on h o s t i l t y , and a d e d i c a t i o n t o s e c r e c y t n a t w x ild d o t h e KGB p ro u d H e r s e 1f . d e l 1g h t fu 1 DA * o f from many y e n r s . on r e t u r n i n g t i m»» obv i ou ly s p e n t in b o sk y lam ps and d e lls , b o o te d , a rfe d . g lo v e d and ra in in in in n o c e n t b e a c h w alk •n ly l a t e r , d i s c o v e r e d in th e «. ♦ o f c h u c k l i n g e v i l l y o v e r a th e wad o f l e g a l t e n d e r , w i l l be m n g n itu d e o f h e >r p e r f i d y c la im s i t ’s r e a 1is e d She re p a id by a b o rro w e d money f rle n d . Even N ic e B i l l , t h a t e p ito m e .r k in d n e s s , o p en n ess. th a t p a ra g o n f s h a rin g w ill lo o k you in t h e e y e l i k e a man and l i e th ro u g h h is te e th about w h ere h e fo u n d th»* f i v e p o u n d s o i M at.su sak e h e ’ s ru m o red to have s o ld y e s te rd a y It e v en do»--, no good t o buy him b e e r . ( N o rm a lly a f o o l - p r o o f p lo y ) In V in o . V e rita s ta k e s a h o l i d a y w h e re f u n g o id d o l l a r s a re th e s u b je c t. S t i l l , when t h e a b u n d a n c e o f ’h a n t r e l l e s m akes i t p o s s ib le to c o m p le te ly c o v e r, h id e th e s i r l o i n s t e a k s bought, in t h e i r h o n o r , when t h e r e a r e en o u g h K ing b o l e r o s s tru n g to d ry above th e s to v e to fla v o r a w i n t e r ’ s s a u c e s , when r a i n and w ind make im p ra c tic a l any e f f o r t n o t e n c o m p a s se d by a good book and k e e p in g up t h e f i r e , o v e n s u r l y m a te s c a n be f o r g i v e n . A ls o , warm and w e ll »• i, o n e h a s t o w onder why a n y o n e w ould c o n s i d e r liv in g of a n y w h e re e l s e . U n le s s , c o u r s e . M e asu re 9 p a s s e s . * DA-Domest. i c Accotnp l i c e . The L ady. c an be te r m "O ld d a n g ero u s a ro u n d p n y s ic a lly t h i s h o u se. A lex L a F o l l e t t e T i l l s i s A l e x 's N ovem ber c o lu m n s he m is s e d th e d e a d lin e ( f o r o b v io u s r e a s o n s ) b u t we f e l t we s h o u ld s h a re i t a n y w a y . Muddy W m im C o lin Co. 1404 lid S ire n Suur 1 (illarTMxik O te fo n 97141 SOI • M J 1401) V K AS A D A V ID M uddy W aters COFFEE and TEA COMPANY S alm on don t get caught, if you're caught, NAPPING! O p e n 6 a m .T 0 6 o n v Daily I ITh. D I «AM UP C AftMid T m m im m «•■»•I 1904 3rd STREET (acroas from tin Phone 842 1400 ELK1 ILMUA *IU*OI FISH ON II Café Espresso ««> Broidwjy »7 (jlong Riverside) Seaside, Oregon 7 » -il 49 taxi», »ud 11 i t ta k e s a l o t o f w o rd s t o sa y w h a t y o u have i n m in d , g iv e i t more t h o u g h t . - D e n n is R o th TURNAROUND 1235 S. HEMLOCK Cannon Beach B O O K S A N D E S P R E S S O BA R 7 A M — 2PM 1 1 1 Uroedwe» » 3 • See».Oe OH 9 7 1 3H Phone 15031 7 3 0 3 2 1 1 Breakfast & Lunch Closed Mon. & Tues.