Thursday, 2/27

Loraine, as always, had an interesting thought.

I don't remember how we got to discussing this subject, but a couple of days ago we were joking around about how some people call me “the next Fred Rydholm”. It's a title that I'm not entirely comfortable with; after all, when he was alive he probably forgot more about local history that I'll ever know. But I can also see the comparison—I guess I follow in his footsteps as far as a passion about sharing local history, and (in my case, for some bizarre reason) people seem to think of us as a resource for tales of the past.

So while I'm not entirely comfortable being called “the next Fred Rydholm”, I can understand why people say it.

While we were discussing how some people call me what they do, my dear wife then proffered a question that I'd never thought about, but makes perfect sense. If I'm following in Fred's footsteps as an advocate and a “teacher” of local history, then to whom will I pass the baton?

If I'm “the next Fred Rydholm”, then who will be “the next Jim Koski”?

The question kinda freaked me out a little; after all, I'm not planning on going anywhere soon. But I suppose it is a legitimate question. If I'm following in Fred Rydholm's footsteps (albeit with a less meandering style and a lot more stories about hookers) then who, someday, will follow in mine? I mean, I'd be sad to think that there's not at least one dork out there who's interested in what made Marquette Marquette, and I'd be sad to think that there's not at least one dork out there who'd be willing to walk around the city backwards talking into a microphone while pointing out where this fire occurred or where that bootlegger once worked.

I would hope that someone would be willing to do that once I can't.

Of course, following in Fred's footsteps was never anything to which I aspired. I never set out to be “the next Fred Rydholm”. It just kind of happened. So the thought that my footsteps need to be “filled” is somewhat surreal, at least to me. But who knows—maybe there's a kid out there, perhaps not even born yet, who will one day find an interest and a passion and find they have an ability to share that with people.

And maybe one day, hopefully many, MANY years from now, people will come up to that young person and say--

“Hey—did you know you're the next Jim Koski?”

(jim@wmqt.com)