A very good friend recently said to me "You certainly find yourself in some interesting places, don't you?"

I guess he was correct to some degree. I'm not sure that it happens to me any more than it does to the average person who is fascinated with, and appreciative for, the world around him or her. Some interesting experiences have found me a good number of times in my 62 years. And I have certainly sought them out a good number of times as well. This past Monday, Feb. 2, is an example of the latter … a treasured example, to be sure.

I have been writing this column in this beautiful corner of Maine for over six years now. However, this is the first one for the Irregular. Being quite pleased with that fact, I had been "cogitating on" this initial column in my mind, as I usually do, for a few days before finally sitting down at the computer and writing it. However, as occasionally happens, I experience something significant that supersedes that planned topic, and I can't get it out of my head until I write about it. This column is a good example of that phenomenon.

I flew down to Durham, N.C. the previous morning, to again enjoy a Duke University men's basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. For Duke alumni, it is a sacred place on campus, second only to that towering and iconic example of gothic architecture, the Duke Chapel.

I was a guest of an esteemed retired professor in the graduate program in physical therapy, in which I earned my masters degree in the early '70s, to go nuts with the rest of the "Cameron Crazies" at a Sunday afternoon game against the University of Virginia. I thought that would be the highlight of my busy two days in Durham. It turns out that it came in second to what transpired the next morning.

First a bit of background is in order. I suspect that a limited number of readers in northern Franklin County are aware of an impressive man, now 94 years of age, named John Hope Franklin. Dr. Franklin is a black man, a retired professor emeritus at Duke University, a man in whose name the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies on campus was dedicated about 10 years ago.

He is also a recipient, in 1995, of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. In his case, it was for a lifetime of pushing the national conversation on race toward humanity and equality. He really felt that America should live up to its historical credo… "That all men are created equal." Few have worked harder toward that end, and with more scholarly dignity, than this eminent historian of the black experience in America than Dr. Franklin.

Given the historic presidential race this past year, I felt compelled to buy a copy of his recently published autobiography, Mirror to America. This is a man who experienced the threat of being lynched by a hateful mob of southern bigots in the early 20th century, to now witnessing a black man being sworn in as President of the United States.

Moved by his story, I made a call to his assistant at Dr. Franklin's home office in hopes that I might meet him, and perhaps have him sign my copy of his autobiography. I followed up with an email to her to which I attached a copy of my column from two or three years ago where I recounted my experience, in 1968, as a student teacher at an all-black high school in Richmond, Va.

At that time, I was a senior at Concordia College in northwestern Minnesota, an area of the state that was as homogenously white as rural Maine is today. I had the opportunity to do my student teaching experience in a pilot exchange program, whereby I would live on campus at all-black Virginia Union University, and teach biology at Armstrong High School, in the heart of essentially segregated Richmond. It was a pivotal, and very positive, experience for me. It was an experience during the civil rights decade of the '60s that I have always treasured.

Back to this past month, I soon learned that meeting Dr. Franklin might be a possibility, even though his health was a concern. It unfortunately prevented him from traveling to Washington, D.C., as an honored guest to witness in person the recent presidential inauguration.

Last Monday, I found myself at Dr. Franklin's kitchen table, talking with him for about 20 minutes, sharing our thoughts about now-president Barack Obama, and what his election means to this country's movement toward actually living up to its stated human rights ideals. Dr. Franklin told me about the day, last fall, that he spent with then presidential candidate, Barack Obama, who sought out his wisdom and perspectives amid the heat of the campaign.

To be honest, I felt as though I was sitting there at his kitchen table as a witness to history. He signed my book at the end of our memorable conversation. I thanked him again, and left the home of this impressive, dignified American… feeling completely honored to have experienced 20 minutes with this intelligent, compassionate man.

And speaking of being honored, I look forward to being a regular columnist for The Original Irregular, a publication that also goes back to 1968 (or thereabouts), as clearly the finest repository of good journalism and comprehensive information for the residents of northern Franklin County. I mean that very sincerely.

Also, it just seems right that one who

grew up in central Minnesota, the home of mythical Lake Wobegon, should write for a newspaper whose masthead includes the following: "Serving the Western Mountains of Maine Where the Kids Grow Straight and Tall and the Women are All Good Looking."

As a fairly experienced, and Maine-licensed since 1974, physical therapist, I certainly have observed that the kids do seem to grow straight and tall (I think it is the pure mountain air). And certainly you don't need me to tell you that the women are all good looking.

Per usual, your thoughts and comments are quite welcome. Drop them off inside the door of our cabin's mudroom on the west shore of Gull Pond in Dallas Plantation, or simply send an email to allenwicken@yahoo.com. I thank you, in advance.