Touching the Ancient One

January 20, 2007

I had a book-signing on Saturday, January 13 at the Saratoga Springs Barnes & Noble. Relations Manager Crystal Jenkins and the rest of the staff was wonderful to me, setting up my table in a proven “hot spot” near the front door where I sold lots of books.

Aside from that, I came away with a warm feeling about the people I rubbed elbows with that day. People didn’t just want to pick up a copy of my book to peruse, they wanted to talk about my experience and theirs, my life, my thoughts on various subjects. A variety of age groups stopped by my table. There was a boy, about thirteen, excitement in his eyes, who begged his father to buy the book. There was a woman who, after reading the back cover, said her brother had attended Marshall University and was still living in that area. A retired physicist never picked up a copy but grilled me for several minutes about what’s involved in writing a book. Scores of people stopped by to chat.

What I came away with was a head-full of memories of nice folks. If I hadn’t sold a single book it still would have been worth it. Thanks, Saratoga Springs Barnes & Noble.

Rupert

January 3, 2007

I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again: The joy of having a book like Touching the Ancient One on the market comes from the people you meet because of it. On page sixteen I mentioned Cline Bates, and the fact that we had joined the Air Force together. He was a neighbor from West Hamlin, friend, and classmate at Marshall. We were in basic training together at Sampson Air Force Base. We lost contact after that. In 1962, I was saddened to learn that Cline had been killed in an industrial accident. Yesterday, I received an email from Doug Bates, Cline’s son, who was two years old when his father was killed. Cline’s brother, Mike Bates, provided Doug with a photograph of Cline and me at Sampson and he has kindly given permission to put it on this web site.

Doug says that his mother, the former Carolyn Black from Myra, WV made sure when he was a child that he stayed in touch with his father’s family.  "She felt it was bad enough that they had to lose a son.  They shouldn’t lose a grandson too," Doug stated.

Over the past ten years our reunion group brought together several people who couldn’t remember their fathers, men I, and the other survivors of the C-47 tragedy knew only briefly. Yet, the fact that we had been near their loved ones in their last moments somehow brought comfort to those families. Doug stated in his note that he felt empathy for others in our group because he too did not remember his father. I was pleased to be able to tell him a little about Cline Bates as I remember him. My father died before my birth, so I know how important every little bit of information becomes––a connecting link with the past. We should do our best to preserve those connecting links.

Click here to see the photograph which I’ve placed in the Miscellaneous Photos folders in the Gallery Pictures link in the sidebar. Clicking on the picture will enlarge it. Cline is on the left.

 Incidentally, Doug runs an internet-marketing consulting firm, www.aderit.com, and also helps manage a small biotech contract research firm, www.apredica.com, that his wife, Katya, founded.

Everyone have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Rupert