jeff wrote:
...well, october is on the horizon and it's again time to head west to
one of my favorite places in the world i know. in getting my stuff
together, i'm once more reminded of the true worth and goodness of this
place - the kindness, shared knowledge, and selflessness of the folks
i've met as a result of words first typed in this newsgroup.

i expect to see and share good times with a couple of those folks - now
friends, who were once merely names in the "from" line on posts to roff.
i'll thank them when i see them.

i'll be taking with me a bamboo rod, made and charitably given by a utah
mormon who got lost in cary, nc... who i miss...and whose undeserved
gift was about as kind and generous an act as i've ever known. it caused
me to rethink many things about the course of my life and the people
around me.

an old, someparts indian from wilmington, who i now think of as one of
my own family, mailed me some flies to tempt the graham county trout
along with one of his ever-humorous notes. he challenges me when i'm
feeling old and, by example, instills a belief that i might actually
have a full, inquisitive, and fascinating life in future years when i
figured i'd be relegated to seeking the pharmacist's false magic.

and to the rest of y'all...those still here and those who moved
on...thanks!! i'll be making use of the good stuff you've shared. i'll
try my best to be deserving of the gifts and to never fail to be
grateful. each time i wade into the fog of the great mystery, ...well,
you know.

jeff


Have a great trip, jeff. Tight lines. Looking forward to a TR when you
return.

Russell