Jim is this really cool guy I met at Grey Fox when I started volunteering. He taught me how to cook fries just right, which is good because I was making really shitty fries before he arrived. He is an incredibly nice guy, who used to teach art to kids (elementary/middle school). He’s shown me a Christmas card he drew, and made me a really cool print of my name, with just magic markers he had in his car.
Jim is always pretty easy to spot – he has a shirt that he uses for festivals. It has seen many, and I’m really amazed it still holds together. He’s usually wondering around the hospitality tent doing odd jobs and helping people out. Every time I saw him he would say how much he loved it there. He’s in his late 70s, lives alone, and doesn’t go on vacations, so Grey Fox and Rhythm & Roots are how he relaxes.
I didn’t see him this year, possibly because the new location is an hour farther away. I didn’t make it to Rhythm & Roots, so I don’t know if he was there either, so I wrote him a letter. A real handwritten letter. Certainly the first that I’ve written in a long time. I hope I hear from him soon – he’s a good dude, and if he won’t be making it to festivals anymore, I’d like to go visit him.