I’m going to visit Kent Nerburn, one of my favorite authors, at his home in a couple of weeks. His book, Letters to My Son: A Father’s Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love, is one that planted the seeds for Real Joe, way back in 1992.
I’ve chatted with Kent at a couple of book signings over the years, but it wasn’t until I sent him a CD of the Real Joe Radio Show demo that we had a few email exchanges. In August, I wrote to ask him if I could pay him a visit (he lives in far northern Minnesota) — no special reason, “just a road trip” I said. This was shortly after I’d met with my new writing coach for the first time. I figured if I was going to upgrade my writing skills, it might be cool to meet with a guy who writes for a living — and who writes about the stuff of life that interests me and that helps to inspire Real Joe.
Kent wrote back right away, saying sure, pick a few dates. Then I got cold feet. I’m still not sure why. It just seemed awkward, paying a visit to someone who’s heavily influenced me through his writing — like I was reluctant to do something that would look like I was worshipping him or some damn thing.
And then a funny thing happened. I’m standing in the office of EdVisions Coop last week, in the southern Minnesota town of Henderson (pop. 910), huddled over a speaker phone with exec director Doug Thomas while we chat on a conference call. (EdVisions is an umbrella organization for several public charter schools, including MNCS where our four kids have all gone to high school. They just got a big grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to, in part, help spread their governance model of “teachers as owners” of the schools where they work.)
I glance down at a document on a table near the phone and I see the name “Louise Mengelkoch” written in pen at the top.
After the call’s over, I ask him, “Do you know this person?”
“Yeah, that’s Kent Nerburn’s wife.”
It turns out that they’re both involved with starting a charter school in their home town. Sheeeeeeit!
I figured this was one of those coincidences with a directive — God or the Univserse saying to me, “Get your ass up there because good things might come of it.” So I obeyed, wrote Kent, and I’m going on Monday, Oct. 14. Get ready for a barrage of quotes from his books over the next two weeks.