my friend nicola

jen and i were in seattle for a meeting and we met one of the most interesting and exciting people i've eer met. he's an artist who lived and worked in pioneer square in the heart of downtown seattle. he had a gallery a couple blocks from his apartment which he took us to on a couple occassions. the collection on display was a chronicle of his recent marital crisis, depicted in unique, dark and enthralling paintings. our initial meeting was happenstance and unexpected and yet we've spent more time with him than anyone else when we've been in the seattle area.

the last time i spoke with him, he was planning on going away for a while. he was going to come and stay with jen and i here in sandpoint for a couple weeks before he left, but he wanted to come before we left for africa this summer and before i knew it, we were gone and hadn't heard back from him. i think about him often, wondering where he is and what he's doing.

nicola capi/nelli, i hope youre well and thriving. i hope your relationship with god is a stronghold in our life that all other aspects of it can take their bearing from. i remember the night we went to a church gathering together and were admonished to not let our emotions disctate our lives. you were very moved. i wonder if you still think about that lesson. i remember playing guitar with you on the beach. i wonder if you still play music. i remember walking through downtown and visitng your favorite coffee shop. i wonder, do you still frequent there? do they still know your name? how are your kids? i'm ashamed that their names now escape me.

i hope to see you again soon. i hope that someday i'll search the web for "nicola carpi-nelli and find that you have reopened a gallery somewhere and your paintings are selling and people are talking about them. i hope that we get to take some more walks together, talking about God or girls or prescription medication or the places you go when you need to experience the reality of human suffering. i wonder how your the girls from your house that day are doing. did the one i taught the song to ever learn it? did she ever rearrange it as she promised? or was it really just the meth talking?

thanks for your friendship and the memories.

Comments

  1. I knew him too. He was quite a character. I still have some of his paintings from when he first opened his gallery.

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