Rural Alaska 101: Patience

July 30, 2012

Mark and I left Wasilla this morning, taking 11 MORE boxes to the post office before dropping me off at the airport.  Had an uneventful, and on time, flight to Bethel.  Connie picks me up at the airport and we run down to Grant Aviation where I am to get my flight to Toksook Bay.  The woman at the counter says the flight leaves at 4:30, be sure to be back by four.  So Connie and I have a nice lunch out (ironically, at a place called “Connie’s” – an Asian American combo place where we ordered a Greek gyro!), stop by her house, and get back to the airport at four.  The women behind the counter panic because I’m so late (?), and they think the flight has left.  A call upstairs confirms that the flight has not left, and the pilot will be down to call me shortly.  Now, no one here knows that I am terrified of this upcoming flight in a small plane, and am ready to throw up at even the thought.  So I wait, and wait, and wait . . . which actually serves to calm me down.  I ask  about the flight, and they promise me that a pilot will come out and call my name – personally! I see many pilots meandering around, drinking cups of coffee – no one in a rush to go anywhere.  Finally, two and a half hours later, a pilot walks in and does indeed, call on me – personally! – because I am the only one going to Toksook.  We then add another person going to Mekoryuk, and the  airline's dispatcher who just wants to see the area.  The flight turns out great – it is a beautiful day, and I LOVE the little plane! 

Pilot and Dispatcher on 4-Seater Plane

                                              Coming in to Toksook.  Big blue building is the school. 
                                              My house is in the group of blue houses to the right and
                                                          front of the water tower - about a quarter mile from the school.

Waiting at the gravel air strip in the wind for someone to pick me up!

Upon arrival in Toksook, no one knows I am coming, but everyone (okay, well both people I meet) are super friendly, and get the school custodian Bill to come out and pick me up – in a Chevy Silverado 2500 HD – NOT what I was expecting (it’s one of seven vehicles on the Island).  However, no one really knows where I am to live, and then when the school secretary figures it’s the old principal’s place, we arrive to find it absolutely filthy.  Apparently, a construction crew had spent the summer in it, and failed to clean up before leaving.  I am so overwhelmed, it’s ten at night now, so I basically just find my bottom sheet (which takes the next two hours to find) and pillow and crash very un-ceremonially on the bed.