Memories of Olly - t.lajollabridge.comt.lajollabridge.com/LJUnit/Memorials/OliverSmith.pdf · I...
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Memories of Olly by Matthew Kidd, June 2013 Dear Thea, I am writing this when you are very young because one day you will want to know what sort of man your father was. I want to leave you some memories while I still remember the details. Olly liked word games, especially Scrabble which he played very well. But first a side story. Your uncle Rick liked to travel a lot. In the summer of 2003 he started a trip that was planned to last for at least a year. We agreed to meet in Warsaw near the start of his trip and travel together in Eastern Europe for three weeks. Rick asked me to bring a travel Scrabble set. When your mom heard this request she said to beware because when Rick started to lose he would curse and call it all a game of luck. I discounted this warning because Rick and I had often played bridge together and I had not seen this side of him. Claiming he didn’t know all the two letter words, Rick asked for help placing an X advantageously in the endgame and unable to bear seeing an X placed poorly, I helped him find an EX and XU combination or something similar which was just enough to give him the first victory. Rick won the next two games as well. Then the tables turned. I won the next five games. Rick got grumpier and grumpier. One day we were waiting for a train. Rick was smoking a cheap Russian cigarette and cursing Scrabble. “It was,” he said, “just a game of luck.” I kept my laughter to myself. In Scrabble, Olly had over me an advantage similar to that I had over Rick. I had reasonable expectations of playing all my tiles at least once in the game, a bingo, for which there is a 50 point bonus. Olly often managed to do this twice in a game and that made him hard to beat. But one could not simply shutdown the board to prevent bingos because Olly was also a master of tight play; in fact he seemed to relish squeezing the best result out of a cramped position while his opponent despaired of finding any play at all.
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Transcript of Memories of Olly - t.lajollabridge.comt.lajollabridge.com/LJUnit/Memorials/OliverSmith.pdf · I...
MemoriesofOllybyMatthewKidd,June2013
DearThea,
Iamwritingthiswhenyouareveryyoungbecauseonedayyouwillwanttoknowwhatsortofmanyourfatherwas.IwanttoleaveyousomememorieswhileIstillrememberthedetails.
Ollylikedwordgames,especiallyScrabblewhichheplayedverywell.Butfirstasidestory.YouruncleRicklikedtotravelalot.Inthesummerof2003hestartedatripthatwasplannedtolastforatleastayear.WeagreedtomeetinWarsawnearthestartofhistripandtraveltogetherinEasternEuropeforthreeweeks.RickaskedmetobringatravelScrabbleset.WhenyourmomheardthisrequestshesaidtobewarebecausewhenRickstartedtolosehewouldcurseandcallitallagameofluck.IdiscountedthiswarningbecauseRickandIhadoftenplayedbridgetogetherandIhadnotseenthissideofhim.
Claiminghedidn’tknowallthetwoletterwords,RickaskedforhelpplacinganXadvantageouslyintheendgameandunabletobearseeinganXplacedpoorly,IhelpedhimfindanEXandXUcombinationorsomethingsimilarwhichwasjustenoughtogivehimthefirstvictory.Rickwonthenexttwogamesaswell.Thenthetablesturned.Iwonthenextfivegames.Rickgotgrumpierandgrumpier.Onedaywewerewaitingforatrain.RickwassmokingacheapRussiancigaretteandcursingScrabble.“Itwas,”hesaid,“justagameofluck.”Ikeptmylaughtertomyself.
InScrabble,OllyhadovermeanadvantagesimilartothatIhadoverRick.Ihadreasonableexpectationsofplayingallmytilesatleastonceinthegame,abingo,forwhichthereisa50pointbonus.Ollyoftenmanagedtodothistwiceinagameandthatmadehimhardtobeat.ButonecouldnotsimplyshutdowntheboardtopreventbingosbecauseOllywasalsoamasteroftightplay;infactheseemedtorelishsqueezingthebestresultoutofacrampedpositionwhilehisopponentdespairedoffindinganyplayatall.
StillIcouldbeathimatleastonegameinfour;maybeoneinthree.Oftenthegameswereclosetotheend.OnceatmyhomeinSeattle,Ollywasupabout40points.ButtheletterbagwasemptyandIheldafullrackcontainingablankandanS.TheonlyhookleftwasaTonthefourthrowoftheleftedge.Abingowouldgivemevictoryandwouldspanatripleletterscoreorpossiblytwotripleletterscoresforareallydramaticfinish.OhhowIrackedmybrainsuretherewasasolutionbutIcouldn’tfindthebingo.FinallyIgaveup.ItoldOllyIwasresigningbutwasgoingtodoacomputersearchtoseewhatcouldhavebeen.Myintuitionwascorrect.IhadhadNICTATES,averbderivedfromLatin,whichmeanstowink.ThefunnythingisthatseveralyearslaterMollyandIwereatadinerwhichhadTrivialPursuitcardsmixedinwiththesugarpacks.Oneofthequestionsconcernedthewordnictate.IfonlyIhadplayedmoreTrivialPursuit…WhenItoldOllythisstory,hesaidhewouldliketogotoaplacethathadsuchamusements.I’msurehewouldhavelikedhavelikedBorregoSpringswherethiscaféwaslocatedandthesurroundingBorregodesert.
WhendiscussingScrabblewithMolly,IusedtojokinglyrefertoOllyastheOllyrog,amiddleearthBalrogdemonnotoffirebutofwords.IthinkOllygotwindofthisonceandthoughtitwasabitoverthetop.
Amongdecentplayersitisapointofpridetobeginwithawordthatisfivelettersorlongerinordertoreachthedoublelettersquare;ideallywithamid‐valuetilesuchasanB,C,F,H,K,M,P,W,orY.Forexample,eitherplacementofHONEYwillyields4x2+1+1+1+4=15whichinturnisdoubledbythecenterstartingsquare,foragoodstartof30.Alas,IwasfirsttoplayholdingaracklikeDEINNUU.IscratchedmyheadforawhileandfinallyslappedUNDIEontheboard.Ollyeyedthissuspiciouslybeforeaskingforthedefinition.“It’sthesingularofundies,”Isaidwithastraightface.Awholegamewasbuiltontopofthisphony.IthinkOllywonanyhow.MollyandIstilllaughabouttoday,forexample,“youleftyourundie—justone—onthedryer.”
Inthesummerof2006,OllywenttoMoscowalonetodoresearchattheMoscowcentrallibraryforthethesisthatwouldlaterbepublishedasthebookTheSpiritualizationofMatter.Heinvitedfriendstojoinhimandtowardstheendofhisstaywhenmostofhisresearchwascomplete.Ivisitedforaweekandahalf.OfcourseweplayedalotofScrabbleanddrankbeer,oftenatthesametime.IrecallOllyhavingtherunofthingsbuthealwaystookdelight
ingoodplaysbyhisopponent.HeespeciallylikedmyplayofINFIXonatriplewordscore.ItwasageekywordIknewfromstudyinghowcomputerprogramcompilersworked.
Ollydidn’tcareforpublictransportationifitwaspossibletowalk.Hewasslenderandcouldwalkformilesoftencarryingthesmallpackpicturedhere.WhenMollyandIvisitedShelleyandOllyinCamdenTown,weimmediatelyspenttwoorthreehoursinajetlaggedfogwanderingthetown.Onsubsequentdays,wedidmanymiles.Hewalkedoursocksoff.InMoscow,OllyandIalsowalkedagreatdistancemostdaysandIsawmanyplacesthatIamsurefewtouristseversee.
Olly’sfuelwasgoodEnglishtea.Withoutthishewouldhavegroundtoahalt.Hemadeapotofteaseveraltimesadaythoughcuriouslyoneseldomnoticedhimdoingitbecauseforhimitwasasnaturalanactivityasabutterflyflappingitswingsoradancerpirouetting.Theteaalwaysseemedtoappearmagically.
InMoscowwewerestayinginaveryniceapartmentofacouplewhowereinFranceforthesummer.TheapartmentwasconvenientlylocatedneartheGardenRing,notfarfromRedSquareandtherestofthehistoriccitycenter.Onedayduringmyvisitapianoarrived.Wewereonthefifthfloorandtherewasnoelevator.ThreeburlyRussianmoversgotthepianoallthewayupwithoutascratch.Olly,atalentedplayer,wasthrilled.Hepointedmetoawebsiteofsheetmusicfromwhichwedownloadedsomeclassicalmusic,ChopinIthink.IproppedmylaptoponthepianoandOllywasofftotheraces.
Thereissomethingspecialaboutlisteningtoafriendplayinganinstrument,somethingthatgoesbeyondmerelylisteningtomusicwithafriend.Isupposeitistheenjoymentofthemoment,thesubtleprojectionofmoodontothepiece,andtheabilitytostartandstopasoneseesfit.It’smuchmorewonderfulthanlisteningtotheexactsamedigitalrecordingwhichcanonlybestoppedandresumedinthemostabruptmanner.
OnedayOllytookmetoMoscowStateUniversity.Heshowedmethecafeteriawhereheoftenranintoyourmom.Wealsotookintheviewfromthetopofthebuildingpicturedhere.Idon’tthinkweweresupposedtogotherebutitwasaquiettimeofyearoncampusandOllyknewhowtosneakhiswayin.OnanotherwalkIsawtheapartmentwhereheandyourmomhadlivedforafewmonths.
BothOllyandyourmomspokefluentRussianandknewtheculturewell.SincetheforeignpriceforticketsoradmissiontoanythingwastypicallyfourtimestheRussianprice,itpaidtopassasaRussian.DespitemypartlyPolishfaceandbuild,OllywasatagreatdisadvantageinplayingthisgamewithmesinceIspokenoRussianbeyondafewwords.Stillwetried.Toblendin,Ihadbroughtthesortofnon‐descriptdesaturatedclothingthatRussiansoftenwear.SoonIhadmasteredthedefaultRussianpublicface,asortofconstantlyputuponexpressionwhichdoesnotadmitanypossibilityofthingsgettingbetterandwhichiscertainlynotinterestedintalkingaboutitinpublic.Inthemorningthisisbestcombinedwiththesuggestionofbeinghungover.WearrivedatStatueParkearlyandapproachedtheadmissionbooth.Ididmybesttoimitatethewakingexpressionofafriendwhoenjoyeddrinkingtoomuch.OllyaskedmesomethinginRussiantobolsterourcasefortheRussianrate.Itsoundedlikearequestformoney.Silentlyandsullenlyasthoughthesefewrubleswouldlimitmyabilitytobuyvodkalater,IhandedOllythenotes.Wewerein;therusehadworked.
SeveraldayslaterwhenIknewthelayofthelandOllyneededtospendthemorningattheMoscowcentrallibrary.IwenttoseeRedSquareandwehadagreedtomeetlaterattheMcDonaldsinPushkinSquare,thefirstMcDonaldsinRussia.Theshortsubwaytripwentwellenoughbutalasthestophadtwoexitsanditappearedtheywerequitefarapartonthesurface.Iheadedinthedirectionthatseemedfamiliar,upalongescalator,andthenpastaseeminglyfamiliarstatue.Butneartheexitinbiglettersitonlysaid город.Icouldsound
thisoutanditsoundednothinglikePushkin.SoItrudgedbackdownthelongescalatorandalongwalktotheotherescalator.Butthetopofthatexitdidn’tlookanymorepromising.BackIwent,notwantingtopauseanddrawanyattention—oneneverwantstodrawattentioninRussia.Therewasnothingtodobutexitintofearfulгород.Andlo,therewastheMcDonalds.Ollygotagoodlaughoutofthat,forгородmerelymeanscity.
Itmayseemstrangetosay,butRussiachangedmyunderstandingoffreedom.InAmericawehaveclaimedthewordfreedomforourselves.Wesaywewantothernations’citizenstoexperiencefreedombutatthesametimeweareprideful.Ourfreespeech,ourfreemarkets,ourfreedomtoliveaswewishandwherewewish,ourfreedomtoownenoughfirepowertofendoffaparamilitaryassaultonourfamily.Yes,ourfreedom,baby!Youmightgetitoneday,butwehaveoursheretoday.
Andyetfreedomissubtle.Thereisthefreedomtodosomething.Andthefreedomtopreventsomethingfrombeingdonetousoroursocialgroup,afreedomfromsomething.Andtherearegoodfreedomsandbadfreedomsandallofthesefreedomsmustbebalancedinsomecomplexmanner.RussianslackmanyofthestandardWesternfreedomsinpracticedespitewhattheirofficiallegaldocumentsmightsay.Buttheyhaveotherfreedoms.Beerwassoldeverywhereonthestreet.Noonegaveslightestcareaboutmendrinkingbeeropenlywhilewalkingdownthestreet,throughthepark,oranyotherpublicplace.OllyandIpartookandwalkeddowntosomebenchesinthecourtyardofanoldchurchinthecity.Manymenhaddonethesameandwereinquietconversation.Itwasliberating;thesamesituationwouldhaveresultedinsocialopprobriumorevenarrestinAmerica.
Ourdiscussionturnedphilosophicalandacoupleofhourspassedpleasantly.ThenOllyturnedtomeandaskedifIhadnoticedthebumlyingonthegroundbehindourbench.IsaidthatIhad.“Snowflakes,”hesadlynotedtheywerecalled.Everyyearhundredsofpeoplefrozetodeathinadrunkenstuporinthecoldsnowywinter.NoonedidanythingaboutthesituationbecauseMoscowandRussiaitselfhadgreaterproblems.Freedom,butatanunfortunatecost.
Russianshavethefreedomtoscrewuptheirliveswithouttheirsocietyorgovernmentcaring.Russianshavethefreedomtoliveinthenowbecausethe
futureishighlyuncertainandnotnecessarilybetter.RussianshavethefreedomofKrisKristopherson’s“nothin’lefttolose”sofamouslysungbyJanisJoplin.I’venoticedthisedgydiscomfortingfreedominmodernRussianphotography.Russianshaveallthewrongfreedoms.
Ollycalleditaspiritualcrisis.ItwasnodoubtagreatfallfromtheolderRussiantraditionandculturehestudiedandadmired.OllyIthinkmayhavebeenanOldBelieveratheart.HehadpreviouslytraveledtotheAltairegionofSiberia.Imight,ifhehadlivedlonger,takenhimuponhisinformaloffertoreturntoRussiaandseemoredistantlands.
OnthestreetsofMoscowwefrequentlysawbeggars.Thesewerenotthementallyilloroutrightlazythatoneseesinthewestbutratherordinarypeoplewhoselivesandeverythingtheyeverknewhadbeenupendedbythefallofcommunism,theirpensionserodedbyinflationaryperiodsandotherwoes.Ollyalwayshadafewrublesandkindwordsforeachone.
IwantedtoreturnhomewithsomeRussianvodka.WeenteredasmallconveniencestoreforlocalswhereIpurchasedtwoorthreebottlesofvodkaandotherliquorandseveralbottlesofbeer.ItwaslikethatearlyscenefromthemovieLeavingLasVegas.Theolderladyatthecheckouthaddoubtlessseenitallbutevensosheeyedthetwoofuswithsomeconcern.Isupposeshethoughtweplannedtogothroughitallthatnight.IthappensinRussia.
OnedayOlly’sfriendAlexeyarrivedfromFinlandwherehehadimmigratedtoworkforatechnologycompany.WetraveledbytrainandbustoTarusa,thebirthplaceofafamousRussianpoetess.Fromtherewewalkedawaysinthecountry.Ollywascheeredbythetripoutofthecity.
IleftRussiainagreathurry,havingmisreadmyplaneticket.OllygotmeasfarashecouldontheMoscowMetroandshovedmeintoataxitotheairportintime,whereuponIfoundmyflightsufferedtheusualRussiandelays.
OllyIthinkregardedtheUnitedStateswithsomesuspicion:ourbrashness,ourmaterialism,themisfortuneoftheBushjuniorpresidency,myomissionoftheword,“please.”“It’sjustonelittleword,Matthew.”ForawhileyourparentslivedatthesouthendofSeattle.IthinkOllygrewabitdespondentthoughthingsimprovedwhenhediscoveredagoodpubneartheirapartment.
NowandthenhefoundwaystopokefunatAmericans.WhenthecashieratREIaskedhimifhehadanREImembership,Ollyenquiredinthemostpropermannerwhether,“membershipwascompulsory.”Idon’tthinkthefelloweverfiguredoutwhatOllywasasking.
ButwhateverhethoughtofAmericans,OllylovedtheAmericanlandscapes,especiallytheWesternlandscapes.OurlasttriptogetherwasintheSierrasinKing’sCanyon/SequoiaPark,justRick,Olly,andme.WehadanambitiousplantoreachMt.Whitneyfromthewest.Unliketheeasternapproachwhichrequiredobtainingpermitsmonthsinadvance,arrivalfromthewestdidnot,beingasortofrewardforhikingsofar.Thisonewaytripinvolvedaseveralhundredmilecarshuttlesincenoroadswentthroughthearea.
OnthethirdmorningwestumbledupElizabethPass(lat36.59875048,lon‐118.57584715)andthengotourfirstviewofthestarklatesummerDeadmanCanyon.Hikingdownthecanyon,wecampedneartheRoaringRiverRangerStation(lat36.712481,lon‐118.586721).WehadbroughtthetravelScrabbleset,aluxuryonsuchahike.IhadevenprintedtheentireOfficialTournamentandClubWordList,theU.S.reference,inaverysmallfontonbothsidesofseveralsheetsofpaper(thiswasbeforecellphonesweresmartphones).ItwasRickIthinkwhoinsistedwefinallyplayagameofScrabbledespiteourclearfatigue.
Itdidn’tbeginwell.Someonestartedwithathreeletterwordandthenextplayerbotchedtheboardupfurther.
I’veneverplayedsuchaconstipatedgame.Soonitwasdifficulttoplaceasingletilemuchlesstwoevenwithawordlistathand.Iwasreadytoresignandstartanewgameorjustgotosleep.Buttheotherswantedtofinish.Ollywassteadfastandamazinglyhesqueezedabingooutofthismiserablegameonhislastturn,endingthegameandcatchingRickandmewithsomehighvaluetiles.Itwasacleverwordtoo,nottheeasysortofbingoonemightachievewhenholdingablankandanING.Infactitwasaquitehumorouswordtoendagame;Ijustcan’trememberwhatthewordwas.Rickwasclearlydispleasedaboutthegame’sresult.Quiteexhausted,weburnedtheScrabblewordlistandexcessfood,andsleptwell.
Thefellowshipwasabouttobreakup.Rickwasfitfromhisrecentworldtravelsandeagertocompleteourhikeinwhathehadlearnedwastheminimumamountoftimeinordertoimpressaparkrangerhewasdating.Iwasbythenratherdeskbound,agrandwizardofdataanalysis.Ittookmeacoupleofdaystoreallygetintoahikelikethis.OllywasmiddleoftheroadaboutthepacebutwaseagertoseeMt.Whitneybecausetheopportunitymightnevercomeupagain.ThenextmorningIsaidgoodbyeasRickandOllyheadedtowardMt.Whitney,carryingtheOneScrabbleSetofdoom.ThatwasthelasttimeIsawOlly.
IcompletedtheloopbacktoRick’scarintwodayscrossingoverSillimanPassandsleepingunderthestars.ThenIdrovebacktotheWhitneyportal,tookmycar,anddrovehometoSanDiego.OllyandRickexitedthenextdayandheadedbacktoSanFranciscowhereRicklivedatthattime.
