The Alaska Journals – AKA 7000 Penguins Die in Mystery Stampede – Episode One

from the personal journal of The Thinking Viking during a summer in Alaska
What follows and in following posts in this category are excerpts from my hand written journal, cobbled together with hazy and sometimes crystal clear memories. It’s a view into life in 1990 from my own youthful pencil and my current mind commenting. 

Spring 1990

I was nineteen, things weren’t so great.  Moved out of mom’s soon as I graduated High School.  Rented a house in Boulder, CO with three friends, after nearly getting killed in a house fire . For that little story please see “How I Accidentally Confused a Police Officer“.

Anyhow, working multiple jobs, not getting hours, struggling to pay rent- it kinda sucked.  One fine day one of my friends says “Lets go to Alaska!”

If that seems rather odd, it isn’t. Over several years previous many of my older friends had spent summers in Alaska, working with salmon or crab, in canneries or on boats, working  long hours, nowhere to spend money – great way for an untrained kid to come home with a few grand. But, that was just too much.  Too far from home. Scary. “No way in hell.” was my response

A week later I changed my mind.  Why? A maybe 14-year-old kid approached me, was looking to buy drugs.  I wasn’t a dealer, but I kinda LOOKED like one  – the Mohawk, trench coat and safety-pin in my ear might have given the wrong impression. Turned the kid away.  But I realized I was going nowhere on this path, it just dawned on me, and the next thing I know, I have a plane ticket to Seattle, will meet my friends – let’s call him “Ted” – they guy with the bright idea- at Ted’s Mom’s place north of Seattle (call her “Jenn” ), and a couple I knew well, Bruce and Stephanie. (none are real names, or will they be), we’ll board the ferry and Alaska ho!

And as luck would have it, two days before I leave I find out this girl I went crazy for the summer before is back in town, returned from California.  Let’s call her “Red” for her then-red-hair. My mom and she are my escorts to the airport.  I have just quit smoking.  What follows and in following posts in this category will be excerpts from my hand written journal, cobbled together with hazy and sometimes crystal clear memories. It’s a view into life in 1990 from my own youthful pencil.

Hope you enjoy the trip.

“June 14, 1990 12:00 pm

I have said goodbye to Red and Mom. she’s still beautiful, smart independent and I am once again completely in love with her. Damn and blast the swirling tides of Fates.

2:00 PM  Los Angeles no time to call Jenn – had to smoke, very addictive. So’s she – the scent of her is still with me.

8:00 pm Jenn’s house! very cool. I like it here, about one full cigarette today” – end quote

Jenn had picked me up at the airport. Ted and crew are due tomorrow by car.

I fell asleep that night with my head spinning.

MJ

Don’t worry – I’ll explain the headline at some point, honest.

The next page – Episode One.1 is ready!