Now this is a great title for a book. I think that the end times/end of the world will happen when all the good titles have been claimed and duly noted.

There was a knock at the door this morning, the door then opened and Pam said, “Breakfast is ready.” Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, pancakes, and orange juice. There was considerable conversation about planes and how they work and don’t work, and specifics about flying in the area.

Tony, a pilot, sat opposite me. He is a large fellow with hair on the side closely cropped, and a smile on his round face. He is very much a listener, and mainly answered Ray, Stella, Pam, and my questions. He was introduced by Ray as one of his students. More specifically, he did his ground training with Ray, back when Ray was a teacher. Tony added that he got his flight instruction in Bonner’s Ferry Idaho. Ray had built the facility.

Tony’s wife Peggy is the principal of the five Kodiak Island schools. I met her later in the day during the library revitalization ceremony.

There was considerable talk about flying to Kodiak and other parts of Island. Bottom line – everyone who lives in Old Harbor avails themselves to the Island Air flights. As I learned previously, if you fly Island Air, you will either fly on Cherokee, one of the smaller planes – it seats three people – or on Caravan (there are two), which seats twelve people. Ray said that one of the Caravans was recently overhauled. By the way, none of this talk made me feel less anxious about flying out of this place. I didn’t say it, but I am thinking these people are either fearless or crazy. They can’t be both.

Nat came and picked up Pam and me. At school, in the main office, there was a bit of hurry up and wait. I finally went into the library and further sorted the books in the nonfiction section. Finally, it was time for the library revitalization ceremony. I was initially glad that I’d worn my kuspuk, but as the day progressed, less so. Dress type garments are just too confining.

The hallway was filled with students, staff, and dignitaries, the latter of whom had flown on Cherokee in order to be present for the ceremony. I talked about the Bright Lights Book Project, and with a copy of the young adult book, Tuck Everlasting, talked about how it was a story, but that the book itself had a story. I then talked about where it had been, and how it ended up at Old Harbor School.

It was right then, as I was finishing up, that I realized how Shelf Life is going to end. The final chapter is going to be about Old Harbor School, the library revitalization program, the people who made this happen, and the role of the Bright Lights Book Project in this endeavor. And of course, there will be an epilogue, which may end up being as lengthy as this book.

318. 11/22/24: On the Lookout