La Conner's hidden treasures

I will be writing a series of letters about La Conner residents I have met during my frequent walks around town. Today I am writing about Glen who lives on North Third Street and can be found most mornings walking from his home along Center Street to Sixth Street and back. Glen is in his nineties and when we encounter each other, we always stop and chat.

He is bright and cheerful even if he is a little slow in his gait. We talk of many things. If I encounter him while he is walking back to his house, I always walk with him. Last week, he mentioned he was a retired Skagit Valley College English Professor and that he retired in 1984.

I said I graduated from SVC in 1982 with a degree in civil engineering and I asked if he knew John Biggers, my most beloved college professor throughout my nearly five years of college. Glen said he knew John and we talked about him for a bit. It brought back memories, one of which still gets me through difficult times to this day. John would be passing out a particularly difficult exam and he would always say, “Keep your wits about you, and you will get through this.” I did, and I did.

If you should encounter Glen, stop and talk. I am reminded of the John Prine song “Hello in There.”

Next week: English Colin Mondays.

Rick Dole

La Conner