ForeverMissed
Large image
Stories

Share a special moment from Ted's life.

Write a story

Father Sky, Mother Earth: The Eagle, The Wolf

October 13, 2014

Ah, the Great Spirit is a whispered word , an ink blot, a cherub laughing in his crib.Ted Braun would bleed red ink over my freshmen Humanities class papers, jostling me, kicking me in the ass about his proper english language bent--rules and regulations. Gingerly, I'd pick up my slaughtered text he'd just handed me extricating  the bleeding mess from off my ruptured desk top. B over F jumped at me as Dr Braun lampooned me for  misuse of the word 'Lambent.'Did I care?  We both wondered that. My wild streak fed off those moments of creative interaction with this strikingly stimulating man who even got me to follow him to chapel.I grew. I have never conformed, fit in any template. Then again The Great Spirit intervened.I was Hotspur, tending to my garden on Doe Bay road Orcas Is and approaching jauntily now is my older now newly rediscovered  Friend Ted.  "I've been thinking Ted," I commenced another of many firey interchanges. "That intelligence is essentially making connections.  Seeing connections." He laughed that weird chortle of his and commenced speaking like the NY cab driver he was."So interesting, Doctor.  That is precsiecly my theme of a symposium I'm giving this weekend. I've a surprise for you , Phil"And what a saluberous surprise it was! Life never tasted better than those moments with Ted. 

OLGA

June 14, 2013












For Ted and Alice

OLGA

In a cabin on an island
the world is kept.
An old man runs with horses
hears their voices
and is young among them.

The nightly fire
gives more
than light
a third companion
to two inside.

Though currents swift
and fearsome
churn without
the island’s cabin holds
still upon its ground.

In twilight’s darkness
voices may be heard
speaking of dreams
and life
and earth.

~Robert Lee Gaynor
Summer 2004, written after a visit with Ted on Orcas Island    

Share a story

 
Add a document, picture, song, or video
Add an attachment Add a media attachment to your story
You can illustrate your story with a photo, video, song, or PDF document attachment.