This week we're hearing from Richard Hensley in Kotzebue. Hensley lives in an assisted living facility now, but used to live with his sister and brother-in-law.
HENSLEY: Kotzebue, I was born and raised around here 68 years ago. I could lie about my age (laughs).
Before I ended up in this facility, we were living in a trailer. I woke up. I hollered "Anybody home!" Nobody home. Hot cup of coffee on the table. I picked it up. Didn't see my brother-in-law around. He wrote me a note. I picked it up. I put my coffee down. I read that note:
"Uncle Richard. I had to rush your younger sister to the hospital."
As soon as I saw that hospital part, I dropped that note and I forgot all about my coffee. Out the door I went. I got so excited, I ran out in slippers. No jacket.
Then my sister Beverly, she told my brother-in-law, "Ron. Did you write your brother-in-law a note."
"Yeah, I wrote him a note. He was just sleeping babe."
My younger sister said, "Well. You better go check on him. He's probably awake."
I got about halfway between the hospital from our trailer. Then I saw a car coming down he road. I thought, "Oh gee. Here comes my brother-in-law." So I stopped. (laughs) It was him.
He said, "Uncle Richard."
I said, "What, Ron?"
He said, "Where's your jacket and shoes?"
I said, "I woke up and hollered for you, 'Anybody home?' Nobody answered me. You wrote me a note. That's what got me all riled up." (laughs)
That's when my younger sister Beverly had my niece Judy. Right on the 7th of January. Right on my birthday.