I’d been aware of Ken from the time of “Sometimes A Great Notion”, as he was my aunt’s nephew. I wanted to be a Merry Prankster so very badly, but I was a young mom whose only travels were in my head.
One day I went to watch my son wrestle in Tri-City Oregon, which I dubbed ” Atrocity” and I was drawn to the back of a head. A head with a big bald spot, held up by a very thick neck. There were curls if I remember right. I knew, gut was in a “it’s Ken Kesey” uproar, so loud I went down a few seats and asked a woman I was sure was his wife Faye, if the guy was Ken Kesey. Yesindeed. I was over the moon.
I worked up the nerve to go up and introduce myself, not as a fan, but as having a relative in common. He was cool, didn’t really remember the aunt much, but we had another thing in common and that was our sons wrestling in the same match. I also met Babbs. So cool, so very cool.
There was another match coming up and we said we’d see each other then. I don’t remember why I didn’t go. I was going to have him sign Cuckoo’s Nest, so unless I was too chicken to be so bold as to ask for an autograph…I’m like that. Anyway, fast forward to 2004 and the sad shock I received when I read his son Jed had been killed in an accident as he traveled with the U Oregon wrestling team.
Further. We must travel Further.— Edwina