I often tell people, half-jokingly, that Pete is a part of the Palmer inner circle. It’s interesting, Palmer is in between being a small town and being a big town. As such, a handful of people in this mid-sized town consider themselves to be very important, and very influential. They know one another, and as such, look over the shoulders of those who are outer circle, in order to see if someone inner circle is behind them. I used to think that they did this to me because I am supposedly short, but no, they do it to just about anyone who is not in their orbit.

Pete isn’t this way – everyone who is liberal, votes independent or Democrat,

Bill checking out a book in the sorting area

listens to NPR, or drinks beer are his friends. At the same time, everyone knows him. I am his shadow, and as such, I have been referred to as “the wife.”

I don’t have the desire to be inner circle. I’m quite content to have a handful of friends, people who enjoy doing what I do and talking about what I like to talk about. This was affirmed today, when for 20 plus minutes, I got a glimpse of the inner sanctum of the inner circle. It was much like the eye of the hurricane, although at the time, I did feel the winds swirling about me.

The inner circle of the inner sanctum is known as Radio Free Palmer and as Big Cabbage Radio. The station is located smack dab in the middle of Main Street Palmer. It has a small volunteer staff and is housed in a series of small rooms, the main feature being a hard wood floor. There are the obligatory radio station posters, and computers on desktops.

But I digress – Bill Schmidtkunz and I were interviewed today by phone. Me, I was in my upstairs office, surrounded by books on three sides. I suspect that Bill was in his office and surrounded by books on three sides.

I was very nervous; this was because I was well aware that I was in the inner sanctum of the inner circle. Bill and I were asked the sort of questions that we expected to be asked. It’s hard to throw curve balls when the subject is books.

My favorite question was, how did the Bright Lights Book Project get its name? I for a moment became less nervous as I explained that my father owned a bookstore in New Hampshire named the Country Lights Bookstore, and that this was named after the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco.

I babbled and Bill filled in the blanks. When done, I felt this odd sense of euphoria. This was, I think, because I had escaped the inner sanctum of the inner circle.

I don’t know if very many radio devotees listen to Big Cabbage Radio. I suspect not many, so this wasn’t the big time. But it was a good experience because I am sure, I will soon be asked if I want to put in an appearance on Terri Gross’s “Fresh Air.” My response is going to be “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”

Next: 90. 4/1/21: A Conversation with Hrimfara fra Lough Arrow II