"The television is tuned to CNN, and live from Lebanon I see the same scene I'd just seen the night before - a building reduced to rubble, a child carried from the wreckage, a woman crying. My friend Tarek was emailing me from Beirut with updates, and to let me know that he was okay." The Tarek in question is moi!
For those of you who do not know Nick, he is the author of one of the most incredible books ever "Another Bullshit Night in Suck City" his poignant memoir about his homeless father. If you notice the photo above you will find that he autographed the book for me, and not in some silly "to Tarek with appreciation" but with a more personal statement:: "For Tarek who came to Portland as the bombs fell. This again is another offer for respite."
On all accounts, it is interesting that Nick ever mentionned me considering the way we met. It was the first day of the Tin House workshop in Reed College in Portland - Oregon and we were all holding a file with the name of our worshop leader, as we sat in the huge amphitheater a tall man sat in front of me and trying to strike a conversation I said: "Oh, I see you are with Nick Flynn, I am with Doug Powell." To which the man replied: "I am not WITH Nick Flynn... I AM Nick Flynn!"
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