A Friend’s Passing

I had a column in the making, but it will have to wait for another time. I just got word that a friend of mine, Alexie Nicholai Jr., passed away this morning, September 28, 2007. He was around my age.
The odd thing is that I was just talking about him to someone this afternoon while waiting at the airport in Bethel to catch a flight back from a CPR training I attended.
Now, I’m not going to write about thinking of my own mortality. We all do that from time to time. Rather, I’d like to reminisce a bit about Alexie.
I first met Alexie when I was site administrator in Oscarville from 2000-2003. He was the maintenance man at school and as far as I know he still held that position. He’d work hard and make sure things were running smoothly. All the while he’d be upbeat and have the attitude that he could fix anything. Generally, he could.
People say it is best to keep boss/employee relationship as it is and not grow into friendship. That has always been one of my weak spots and it has brought so many good people in my life. Our friendship grew. He’d invite me to steams, rescued me when I did something dumb, and gave me the confidence to travel by snow machine to Bethel on the frozen river or tundra.
Since Oscarville doesn’t have an airport one has to either cross the river to Napaskiak and catch flight or use the river to get places. After winter sets in you can travel on the tundra. However, during freeze up or break-up the river is basically closed – or so I thought.
Alexie and others who grew up in the area would somehow make it to Bethel during those times. He casually explained it to me one time, “You (Gussaks) are stuck. We (natives) are never stuck.”
He also taught me that distance is seen differently between the cultures. Getting from point A to point B may be “within walking distance” or “just right over there” to him, but it could be three miles.
Alexie would use the term “a bit” frequently. “I’ll be there in a bit,” is one thing I remember. I use the word “bit” often now. It can refer to five minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years. No one knows and that is what makes it great. If no one can put a time limit to “bit,” then you can’t hold a person accountable for not being on time.
Even though I haven’t run into him for a few years the memories have always been there. Alexie may not have known how he touched our lives and left an impression, but I believe he does now.
One day we will all meet our demise. No one knows when that time will be. It can be five minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years. So to Alexie I say, “I’ll see you in a bit. You may not be within walking distance, but you are just right over there.”
Irene and I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family to Alexie Nicholai. They will always be in our thoughts and prayers.