HOM: The Other Robin

This is a little out of order, but maybe worth mentioning. One of the first people I met when I came back to Kalispell in '71 was Robin Graham, the boy that sailed around the world alone. He and his wife had just moved to Kalispell and had a little place up on top of the Patrick Creek divide. I met him through Lois & Gordon & he attended our church, Kalispell First Church Of The Nazarene, which was just down the street from Sykes in those days. There are two books about him. "Dove" describes his voyage and its aftermath, "Home Is The Sailor" tells of his life here. Robin was -- and is -- a super guy. I used to visit his little homestead and putter with him as he built his house. He is one of the most interesting people I have ever known. Robin didn't talk much about his voyage, except to remark that people always asked him the impossible-to-answer question "What was it REALLY like?" That's one of those somewhat inane queries that require a nearly metaphysical answer and the only possible response would be "Wet" or "Windy" or some other short, descriptive & equally meaningless word. I suppose it was ironic when Robin, after learning I was a Vietnam Vet, asked me "What was it REALLY like?" "Hot." TBC (Me) (Blacktail Books)