You know how you can tell a lot about a person by who their spouse is? Whether you’re married or not, the person who stands by your side reflects on you. It’s the same with friends. It didn’t take long for Chris and I to realize that Rolf kept good company. They met us for beers beforehand, and we all went for beers afterwords, but what really struck us happened late into the evening after another successful and standing room only crowd at Powell’s on Hawthorne.
We had gone with Rolf and his college buddy Steve and his wife Hae-Song to meet their other college friend Jeff, who was hosting Rolf’s Portland leg of the tour. Jeff was the bartender at an upscale restaurant called 21 in outer Suburbia. Jeff was handsome, considerate, charming, and even better – had his uncle right in front of him smoking a stogey. Uncle Paul owned the landscaping business where Rolf had earned his first $5,000 that sent him on the 8 month trip across the U.S. with Jeff in a Vanagon. Steve, Jeff and Rolf regaled us with old Rolf stories. But when Uncle Paul started reflecting on Rolf’s written stories, that’s when we realized how deep their friendships were.
I love my family, and my family loves me dearly also, but they rarely read my work. Chris and I were very impressed that Rolf’s friends not only recounted their travels with him, but could also laugh again at jokes he had written about. That’s support for you. It’s family. One might call it love, but what I call it is a positive reflection on Rolf and the kind of friend he has been to these guys. People don’t just follow you unless they like you, and more so, unless you are worthy of their time and attention.
After our stint at 21, Jeff generously hosted us as his third room of guests. The guys joked that Jeff came from a long line of hospitality workers, but we saw more than that. When we awoke Jeff was busily making breakfast for his friends. I wanted to get out of there fast so as not to be more of a burden on them, but it didn’t work out that way. We joined them at the round table over fresh orange juice, fruit, toast and cereal. They welcomed us like we were old friends too, and in a moment of rare casual comfort, we all talked. About the past, the present, and about nothing at all. Old college stories were shared, jokes were told, and I enjoyed a moment with strangers unlike time I hadn’t spent in a long while. I left Rolf with a hug, and the incentive to tell him later what a treasure he has and is building.
So, mush mush Jen, what about the reading? It went better than well. Near 100 again and people were standing in the children’s section and in the outer aisles craning to hear even when they couldn’t see the slides. We were surprised by Steve Wilson of Motionsickness and had a lovely talk with him about travel writing. Not how you do it, but more about what motivates you to do it. Seeing your name in print? Ego? That’s not all of it and a topic for another blog post. The crowd at Powell’s asked more thought provoking questions than the Elliott Bay crowd and though there were less jokes, Rolf still had us laughing. Chris was also approached by a BootsnAll Mexico Insider who didn’t even know he was going to be here. Dave and Mary Keener were there to meet and greet Rolf, even when Sean couldn’t be there himself.
It was a good night, and an excellent trip. A well reminded lesson in the value of friendship – both old and new. Keep up the wonderful work Rolf. We’re all benefiting. (Even that old guy who came resisting you but in the end the memories of his travels had over come him to the point where he just needed to open his mouth and tell you how much he could relate).
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