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What follows is a longish personal anecdote with some relevence to PD. I went on a "Ghost Walk" on Friday night. In this instance a Ghost Walk is a 5 km trail in the Darling ranges just west of Perth. It follows part of the route used 100 -130 years ago to bring felled timber from "the hills" down to the Channing river to be barged to Fremantle and then shipped to the world. The GW, organized by the local council, entails walking through the cool of a moonlit summer night, and meeting the ghosts of real people from 100 yrs ago. The "ghosts" were played by council staff and members of the Heritage Society. As we encountered them along the trail they brought the past to life with anecdotes about 'their' troubles and triumphs, the things they did, the things done to them. It was a magical night, made more so by an unexpected encounter with a ghost from my own past. To put that in perspective I'd better explain one or two things. First - the trail is down a steep escarpment. Second - whilst most of the 5 kms is along a well made gravel road, parts of it involve very steep, narrow paths with uneven going under foot. It's not really a place for a PWP in "off" mode, though well within the capabilities of this one in "on" mode. Third - the walk, including being bused to the start point, was scheduled from 7 pm - 10 pm, a time when I often get little value from my meds. Fourth - I'm a gambler (but not, in this case, a stupid one; I explained my situation to the organisors, who happily agreed that I could wait with a "ghost" for transport, should the going prove too tough). Fifth - before PD robbed me of my balance, I used to train in these hills with the SES (State Emergancy Service) a volunteer search and rescue organisation. Back to the night in question. By forgoing my evening meal I arrived at the rendevous point in "on" mode. As we approached the gathering of 'ghost hunters', I was surprised and happy to see that amoung them were 3 or 4 members of my old SES unit. As the last time I had seen most of them was at a reunion in late '96, comments were passed on how much better I was walking since my pallidotomy (in April '97). The walk commenced with my 'on' firmly establised. Our group of 20 walkers mixed and mingled and soon I lost immediate contact with my wife and daughters as we explored the past. An hour into the walk I found myself slowing down and tending to fall behind. This, fortunately did not affect the main group as I was able to catch up during the meetings with the ghosts. As the distance grew longer between me and the group I became aware that the "ghosts" of my own past were also out that night for I was never left alone. Always with me was one or other of my friends from SES days. Not once was I made to feel that I was a burden; not once did anyone suggest I stop; not once did anyone offer to actively assist me, even when towards the end I was walking on willpower alone. They treated me exactly right and proved to me that to those with eyes to see we are still visible, still important, and still very much part of the present. (BTW, my family had not abandoned me. All through the evening they periodically touched base with me.) Dennis. ************************************************* Dennis Greene 48/10 [log in to unmask] http://members.networx.net.au/~dennisg/ **************************************************