I was glad to see the commentary in Sunday’s paper by Fred Dyson concerning the movie “The Boys in the Boat.” I had read the book and recently enjoyed watching the movie. Fred came to the State House during my time as the Minority Leader. Politics being what it is, I never really got to know Fred or become what you would think of as a friend. He pretty much voted with the Republicans and me with the Democrats, but I could tell he was a good guy and a conscientious legislator.
Reading his story made me think of my years of teaching sixth grade in Valdez. I was always fascinated by the stories of people who had been in Alaska longer than me and marveled at the experiences they had being part of Alaska’s history. Sometimes, being with my students and seeing an older guy passing by, I would say to them, “See that guy? He’s got a story to share. All these older men and women you see in life have experiences to share. Some great and some small, but interesting nonetheless.”
I want to thank Dyson for sharing one of his stories. I would never have known that he experienced what turned out to be an amazing part of our history. To all you young people out there, when you see an elderly person out and about or nearing the end of their lives, think about what their stories might be. Better yet, talk to them about it. I bet they would be thrilled to tell you about their lives. Then ask yourself: What’s my story going to be?
— Gene Kubina
Green Valley, Arizona
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