“Beam Me Up, Scotty”

Posted On April 26, 2023

My Journey Back Through Time to The Enterprise

One of the most out of this world moments that ever occurred in my Adirondack Outlaw writer’s career universe:

April 26th, 2023

The day I had a face-to-face interview with a reporter from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

Following my efforts at live poetry readings at the Adirondack Center for Writing and the stories that followed, Aaron Marbone, a staff reporter from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, contacted me and expressed an interest in sitting own for an interview regarding my Adirondack Outlaw writer/survivor’s journey and experiences “Speaking in Tongues.”

After several back-and-forth messages, we finally agreed to meet at the Enterprise offices in Saranac Lake.

As a former paper boy for the Enterprise, I looked forward to the opportunity to visit the offices where I once picked up my newspapers every day, swept & vacuumed floors, and cleaned offices for my first paychecks as an “Enterprising Lad.”

I met Aaron onboard the Enterprise at 11a.m. as scheduled. We toured the ship. It has changed quite a bit since I was last there in the late 1970’s! A big new engine room has been added since I left, right where all the newspaper boys once lined up after school to fill their canvas bags with papers from Mr. Bishop.

My route, out along Old Lake Colby Road and up Trudeau Road to the AMA compound, was one of the longest routes going, 72 Adirondack Daily Enterprise newspapers in a bag on my hip or balanced on my bike. Dring the winter months on that paper route, I never got home until well after dark.

That route certainly took me “Where no man has gone before”.

Or for that matter, since.

I think I may have been the last paper boy to ever walk that long route.

There was no sign of the old red hand press metal baling machine that I used to have to use to squeeze down all the old newspapers to be tied into bundles with baling twine for recycling after I swept and vacuumed the floors. Being there in the office gave me a flashback to how intimidated I felt at the end of each week, when I would walk into Mr. Doolittle’s office and stand quietly by his desk while he wrote out my week’s paycheck from a big ledger he kept.

After the tour Aaron & I sat and talked for over an hour. Well, I talked, mostly. We explored my journey as a cancer survivor & writer, as well as my motivations & experiences doing live readings at The Adirondack Center for Writing’s open mics and my writer’s hopes dreams and plans going forward.

My return to the Enterprise brought back so many great memories. I truly enjoyed it (Thank you Aaron!) I felt the interview went well. I’m not quite sure what young Mr. Marbone thought, but a nice article followed on not only of the Enterprise, but a Rochester area newspaper as well!

Only time will tell what future enterprising adventures my writer’s journey holds.

One thing I do know is that wherever what remains of life’s journey takes me, it will be uniquely mine. My personal path into the deep space of the universe, where no man before me has gone.

I don’t know if there are any more open mic readings ahead in my journey.

They are daunting a challenge. There’s an open mic time limit. For a tongueless survivor, they require discipline, practice and focus.

I only get FIVE MINUTES.

But if there does happen to be another ACW open mic reading adventure ahead of me, rest assured.

There will be drinks afterwards at Bitters & Bones.

1st Round’s on me.

**********

Until Our Trails Cross Again:

ADKO

My interview with Enterprise reporter Aaron Marbone not only made the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, but it also appeared in The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Thank you, Aaron, for a fantastic write-up.

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Wednesday, May 17, 2023