I'm not going to make it to the Reno convention this weekend. I regret it. A lot of good things are going to happen. Like the chance to see and handle a bunch of stunning kukhuris, no doubt. And to meet interesting people, like Howard Wallace, whose passion moved him to create the invaluable Kukhuri FAQ site. And the opportunity to hear Rusty launch into elaborate metaphors that explain the world in terms of various guns I'm unfamiliar with. And getting to swap stories with and learn from all the serious collectors and devotees of these tools we all find so absorbing.
I'm sorry to miss out on it all. But there's one other thing I'm certain will happen this weekend that I'm just not willing to forego: the chance to thank Uncle Bill for making all this kukhuri culture happen so far abroad.
Even the most casual visitor to the HI or FAQ websites quickly realizes Bill is a special character. It's not just his warm, deft, generous style of doing business over the internet. It's also that this business he's in encourages a traditional craft that's so at odds with the modern assembly-line mentality. And it enables these remarkably skilled craftsmen--born into the untouchable class--to make a good living in a poor country.
When I visited Bill a few weeks ago at the computer shack to pick up my brass Bura banspati, I was struck by how down to earth he is. I've long felt that Peace Corps volunteers have been one of America's great exports (along with good music). To sign on in your late 40s, as Bill did, bespeaks an inquiring mind, adventurous spirit, a whole lot of energy, and a strong desire to be of service. That was him then, and that's him now. We are all the luckier for it. So this weekend, I intend to hoist a glass from afar and offer a toast to Uncle Bill. -- Jance
I'm sorry to miss out on it all. But there's one other thing I'm certain will happen this weekend that I'm just not willing to forego: the chance to thank Uncle Bill for making all this kukhuri culture happen so far abroad.
Even the most casual visitor to the HI or FAQ websites quickly realizes Bill is a special character. It's not just his warm, deft, generous style of doing business over the internet. It's also that this business he's in encourages a traditional craft that's so at odds with the modern assembly-line mentality. And it enables these remarkably skilled craftsmen--born into the untouchable class--to make a good living in a poor country.
When I visited Bill a few weeks ago at the computer shack to pick up my brass Bura banspati, I was struck by how down to earth he is. I've long felt that Peace Corps volunteers have been one of America's great exports (along with good music). To sign on in your late 40s, as Bill did, bespeaks an inquiring mind, adventurous spirit, a whole lot of energy, and a strong desire to be of service. That was him then, and that's him now. We are all the luckier for it. So this weekend, I intend to hoist a glass from afar and offer a toast to Uncle Bill. -- Jance
