You know that deal about six degrees of separation, that we’re all closer linked than we think? It’s true.
Consider: One of my closest friends is a guy I played hockey with in college. We both grew up in Las Vegas, but went to different high schools. A few years ago, living in Vegas and in a relationship with someone, she broke out her senior yearbook, from 1984. In there, as a sophomore, was my buddy. So was a couple of other guys from that hockey team he and I played on in college.
Also in that yearbook, as a senior, sporting a tacky ’80s man-perm, is future baseball hall-of-fame pitcher Greg Maddux, who graduated with my ex-girlfriend. Adding to the connection – her older brother was a high school teammate of Maddux.
(As a side note, it bears mentioning that Maddux’s tacky ’80s man-perm is just one of several reasons all my high school yearbooks reside in a landfill. No one I know will ever see the hideous David Cassidy haircut I had when senior portraits were taken.)
(Additional side note: Even though my dad played guitar in rock bands in the sixties and early seventies, he is not Carlos Santana. Nor am I related to brother Carlos. Damn.)
Now back to our regularly scheduled Just A Thought.
Another ex-girlfriend of mine is a self-employed accountant. One of her clients just happens to be The Prothman Company of Seattle. That’s the firm the cities of Mill Creek and Mountlake Terrace used to find their current city managers.
I know, boring. You want spice? Try this: When I was working at a paper in suburban Vegas three years ago, it was owned by two children of Mike O’Callaghan, a former two-term governor of Nevada in the ’70s (and a very, nice man, I might add). As governor, O’Callaghan talked frequently with Paul Laxalt, also a former Nevada governor who was one of the state’s U.S. Senators during the ’80s. Laxalt was also the best friend of President Reagan. Laxalt was a likely presidential nominee, but his ties to Nevada casino interests (i.e. organized crime figures) ended that bid, paving the way for the Bush Dynasty.
But wait, there’s more.
As an aspiring author, I am a member of a local writing critique group. Those of you in Edmonds, particularly those involved with the local historical society, probably know Lyn Macfarlane. She’s in my group. But that’s not the oddest part. Another member of that writing group is in a relationship with the former drummer of Seattle pre-grunge rock band Mother Love Bone. Two current members of still-active grunge legends Pearl Jam — Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament – were in Mother Love Bone.
Close? Try too close. And there’s even more indirect links I have that are too close.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go live in a cave for about six months.
John Santana is a writer and editor at The Enterprise Newspapers.
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