I first met Niilo and Joan in the summer of 1969. I was 19 years old and Bob Betts brought me up for Sauna. I was pretty full of myself then, and pretty full of big ideas about Alaska – riding high on an all expenses paid summer of jumping fires for Uncle Sam. And I had a secret plan. I figured it was only a matter of time till I found gold out on a fire, then I’d stake a claim and leave the rest to history. I hauled a gold pan around most places and older wiser people kidded me about it. I think Bob Betts took pity on me.
He said, “Come on and I’ll introduce you to a guy that’s run one of those big gold dredges, has a sauna too. We’ll take a sauna.”
I asked, ”What’s that?”
“What’s a sauna? Well you’ll see”
Bob took me up Chena Ridge and it was Sunday night. I walked through that tinkling front door and it was like I got sucked in to a vortex. There was so much going on that I so interested in that I never took a sauna that first night. Like I was running on remote I walked over to Niilo and sat down on the floor next to about 10,000 other people and soaked up the conversation.
I didn’t know who Niilo was but he seemed to be the main attraction in the room. He was wrapped in damp towels and even had one on his head. He looked over to me like he had known me all his life – and with no need to bother with any form of introduction started in on this huge explanation of the cost of electricity in rural area’s and the need for people to work in a cooperative manner on issues effecting the general welfare of the community and the well being of it’s citizens.
I’d never heard anyone talk like that before. There was this self-assured calmness that seemed to pour out across the room. People commented, gave examples, even disagreed. But everything was straight across, all was fair possibility. After while the conversation turned to mining. I was sitting next to real minors, asked them questions and didn’t get laughed at. Nobody thought it was odd I hoped to find gold. People said things like “Well, if your gonna use a pan you’d be better head out to the forty mile country…, say what was his name, you know, that guy did real well panning?”
After that it was railroads. During a big discussion on the pro’s and con’s of narrow gauge some guy came in the driveway with a real diesel locomotive horn on his truck blasting an arrival note just in case anyone needed to know. I picked up a guitar and ripped off a few Woody Guthrie songs hoping to add to the fair play/electricity/railroad theme. Joan brought me the best tea in the whole world and showed me her horses and chickens.
Bob finally found me and introduced me to Niilo and then it was time to go. A sort of never ending hubbub emitted from deeper in the building. Joan’s horses bumped the wall. Niilo continued to sit in his chair wrapped it wet towels.
He said to Bob, “Oh yes we’ve been talking about mining, electricity, trains.” Laughed. “Sang a song to that effect.” Everybody laughed. Niilo raised his hand in salute.
Bob smiled and took me back to the base. I didn’t sleep that night. I lay on my bunk. Watched the light. I don’t think I had ever felt as at home in any place in my whole short life. If I could have seen them, I would have thanked my lucky stars.
That was thirty-nine years ago. I never found the gold. But I never stopped going to the house, sitting and talking. Winter and summer. Watching the light. Thanks.

Walking between the ridge and lower field
Headlamp off when it started to snow

I was listening
Listening
And not knowing if my eyes
Were open or closed

Dreams and what I saw
Maybe remembered
Mixed with the night

And for just a moment were clear

Then fields slope dropped to forest
Horizon faded
And I was standing
Standing and turning with the Earth

Her gravity held me that winter night
Snow in darkness
Light
And not alone

–John Culbertson

2008/05/05 at 8:31 PM