Don Carey

by Howard Williams

Mercury Rising #8, August 1993

Don Carey recently passed from this side. He was stricken by a fatalheart attack while riding in New Zealand. We who were his friends knewhim as a true messenger who lived respectfully toward himself and othersand who shared his ideas and energies with everyone. Wherever he went NewOrleans at Mardi Gras time, Denali Mountain in Alaska, Katmandu, Mexico,Bali, New Zealand and other places he went with an open mind and heartto these lands and the people and their cultures. It is with this way thatDon showed other messengers how to travel in the world.

I remember the time I returned from the war in Afghanistan to the relativesafety of my hotel in Pakistan. As poor as Pakistan is, it was peacefuland civilized compared with the devastating war in Afghanistan. As I trudgedinto the hotel lobby I picked up my mail. There with a Nepali stamp anda return address from Katmandu was a letter from Don. It was a mad, ramblingletter that probably took even more energy to write it then it took toread it. Don told me he'd been drinking and apologized for telling me that,while I read his letter in a 99% dry country. In this 1989 letter he prophesiedthe coming of the soul - less New World Order.

Don became a bike messenger in 1982. He lived true to a unique way andyet found the time to share it with us as any who attended his Easter partiesof Golden Gate Park would affirm. He was a gentleman and a messenger. Helived true to a unique way up to the last.

As I write this (December 10) songs that were oldies when I was a kidare being sung, kids are eagerly guessing what's under the evergreen treeand many other ancient customs are once again being enjoyed. These customspreceded us, they will probably be here after we are gone. They are notnecessarily bigger than any one of us but they are evidence that thereis Something greater than us.

I hope Don Carey is with that Something.

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at messvilleto@yahoo.com