Craig was driving from Kingman AZ to Prescott AZ with Dan following a visit with Bill when he got the notification of my interest from Match on June 26, 2023. He was looking at my profile (obviously distracted and absorbed) when Dan asked him what he was reading. Craig said he got a “new interest” on Match from a woman with purple hair. Craig had already decided he was “done with Match” so this came in just under the wire and in spite of his reservations he responded. I had indicated interest a day or two earlier and was surprised to hear from him. I was in DC visiting Mary when I got his response. So Craig had Dan and I had Mary on our sides as we began our tentative communications.
The purple hair photo was taken at a “wig” Christmas party in 2022. I had just gotten my new glasses. I included it to make it clear I was not the usual Southern woman and had a sense of humor. It was NOT my primary photo. Craig’s first comment to Dan was “This chick with the purple hair has probably got some kind of real kinky shit going on.” While it almost stopped Craig from responding his curiosity about my particular form of kinky won out.
Craig had been in TN for 10 years when I met him but most of his life stories were not from here. I had taken Craig down my Iowa memory lane 6 weeks into our relationship. I was curious about what more I could learn about Craig from AZ where he had spent most of his adult life. Moving Susan to Prescott afforded the opportunity to walk down Craig’s memory lane and see him reflected through those people who had known him much longer than I had.
Craig had shared with me the importance of Dr. Cameron McKinley (and his wife Anne) in his life. They established a peer-led PTSD support group at the Prescott VA and eventually a free-standing Vet Center. Visiting the new Prescott Vet Center and knowing that it has survived and thrived was moving for both of us.
Dan was our host in Prescott. He has a lovely view from his deck that gives the sense of being in a tree house. Early morning coffee wrapped in a Navajo blanket is a lovely routine. Craig and Dan worked together for decades in the Prescott Post Office as letter carriers. When relations between the Postal Service workers unions and management in Arizona were cratering Craig became Union President for the letter carriers and Dan became the Steward. There were separate unions for the city letter carriers, the rural letter carriers and the postal clerks who processed mail and staffed the Postal Service counters. They brought the 3 groups together for joint negations; established customer service and productivity goals and were able to negotiate contracts that were the best in the nation. I had the opportunity to listen to Dan and Laurie, another letter carrier who dropped by, share war stories about those days. For the life of me, I am not sure why there has not been a sit com about postal service workers. It is a very eclectic group of individuals. It was gratifying for Craig to learn that the Customer Service-centered labor/management philosophy they established has remained alive and well in Prescott since the nearly 15 years since he retired.
Music was the other big part of Craig’s life in Prescott. Unfortunately, the places he used to play no longer exist but he was persuaded to give an evening concert on the deck with a borrowed guitar. I love watching people respond to Craig’s performance. He does not really understand how much people enjoy his own music and the songs that he covers.
I am not sure I learned anything totally new about Craig, but my understanding was enhanced and some black and white images are now in full color.
Tamara Unleashed 