GLEANINGS FROM THE PLAGUE YEAR   Despite all the hardships endured by so many in 20/20: loved ones lost, businesses ruined, jobs lost, financial stress, plus all the emotional and spiritual anguish experienced by so many living in various degrees of fear, hopelessness, and despair, some bright spots still blazed forth. I will touch on just a few here in Wahpeton. Many of my fine students showed themselves adequate to meet challenges. Cathy Diekman's Chahinkapa Zoo still thrives and her columns are always among the best in The Daily News. As a farm kid with chores, I used to dread having to slop the pigs and milk our one cow. How Cathy finds herself able to take care of her vast menagerie complete with rhinos, big cats, orangutans and countless other dependent fauna, to me borders on the miraculous. Another columnist, Wayne Beyer continues to demonstrate that he is one of the finest parks and rec. directors in the state. The facilities and programs speak for themselves, and Wayne's work in special Olympics and the promotion of healthful life-style pursuits such as gardening and running are also admirable.. In the past I've failed to mention the hard work of Steve Dale, our mayor. When he was in my class way back when, he was just a skinny little guy who sat right in front of me and made himself invisible. I still can't figure out how I overlooked him, albeit he has put on a pound or two. But I have a special admiration for folks who serve our community and are able to sit through all those meetings. When I was English Dept, chairman at NDSCS I prided myself on getting through required monthly meetings ASAP, and was delighted when someone else took over that job. But, it takes all kinds, and Wahpeton is blessed with many great men and women with a skill-sets or ‘giftings’ available to meet every need. And what about the first responders who daily come face to face with afflicted people needing help. My next door neighbor, Mike Goroski, is a Med. Tech ambulance driver, and days when he's on call that ambulance idles out front ready to go at a moment's notice, day or night, “come rain or come shine.” He's also a scout master and next door friend-in-need. Makes an old guy feel blessed to be a Wahpetonian. Let me once again congratulate the three ex-students of mine who ran for county commissioner; Tim Campbell, Perry Miller, and Dan Thompson ran about the most civil race I've ever seen—full of mutual respect and genuine regret that one of them had to lose. Quite the opposite from what we see on the national scene where civility has all but lost its name. I could mention many other citizens worthy of note, but in the little column space I have left, I'd like to salute Ralph Erdrich, who recently answered the call to set sail upon that cosmic sea “from whose bourne no traveler returns”on a voyage bound “beyond the bath of all the western stars.” If Wahpeton ever had any renaissance men, Ralph was one. I just read the great obituary one of his gifted daughters wrote for him in the Daily News! Ten years ago when I was only in my early 70's and Ralph his mid-eighties, we used to shoot horse a lot at the Blickre gym. As soon as I'd miss one of my Kareem sky hooks, Ralph would take over shooting free throws and keep making them until he won, and that was 90 % of the time. Talk about humbling. But Ralph was a genuine winner in many other ways, with a family of superbly gifted sons and daughters and a beautiful wife Rita, another fine artist, and Ralph's inspiration for life. Would that we all could look back at such an exemplary life. One of the quotes above came from Tennyson's great poem,”Ulysses,” but his most famous farewell poem, “Crossing the Bar”, also makes me think of Ralph: “Twilight and evening bell/ And after that, the dark/ And may there be no sadness of farewell/ When I embark/ …For though from out this bourne of Time and Place/ The flood may bear me far/ I hope to see my Pilot face to face/ When I have crossed the bar.” Bon Voyage Ralph; may your ship find safe harbor among “The Isles of the Blessed.” Gene Pinkney/ for The Daily News/ 1/7/21 - For the Daily News - 1/6/20 edited html update 08-15-2021