ShareWare OnLine 2/ShareWare OnLine Volume 2 (CMS Software)(1993).iso/infor/famag2r.zip/FA-14

Text File | 1993-03-23 | 34KB | 744 lines

He was unique. So is the conference where he is so well remembered.

                     ONE SYSOP, REMEMBERED, ONE YEAR LATER
                                 by Jean Blevins

     Just over a year ago, life came to an end for the sysop of a small
bulletin board in the Washington metro area. The users of the East Coast Pub
Net (ECPN) were puzzled when they couldn't get a response from the board
that was specially dedicated to encouraging writers and writing.

     Puzzlement turned to sorrow when they learned Charles Frankle, the
sysop of ECPN (703-538-6540) was found dead in the apartment to which ill
health had limited him.

     But Charles' character left an impression which refused to be limited,
either by his ill health, life in a wheelchair, or even death. Charlen Kyle
and Dan Garnitz - who sysopped the board before Charles' tenure - rescued
the now-leaderless venture. And they created a conference where Charles'
users and friends could express their thoughts.

     Some of these thoughts were worried ones; what would become of the Alte
Hackers? This group, whose name is a bilingual pun meaning, among other
things, "Elderly Computer Users," was started by Charles among the retirees
who lived in the same apartment building he did. Charles, an early retiree
due to ill health, firmly believed that people should never retire from
learning, and he convinced many neighbors to tackle the new discipline of
computer use.

     Charlen reports that the Alte Hackers are going strong. "We recently
concluded the second series of computer classes," she said, adding that
"Series III will begin after the holidays, in early January. The students
are coming right along," Charlen said, "though at varying rates of speed.
They seem to be enjoying themselves."

     She and Garnitz are still seeking a mentor for the group, but meantime
continue to serve in that capacity as volunteers from the Epson Users Group
serve as teachers."We need at least one teacher for each two students,"
Charlen said, "so we are always looking for more volunteers to teach
specific things. Bilingual teachers would be extremely helpful, since most
of our students speak English as a second language."

     Other thoughts expressed in this conference indicate that a Sysop can
have a special meaning in the lives of his users, even those who knew him
but slightly. What follows are the contents of the unique sub-board or
conference known simply as "Charles."

                                  EAST COAST PUB NET
To: ALL
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE

This area will be dedicated to a celebration of the life of Charles
Frankle. There was no wake or funeral or memorial service by the wish of
Charles's family. His body was donated to medical science, so there is
no cemetery to visit.

It seemed, however, that the passing of one who gave so much of note to
the world and to the people around him should not occur without a few
moments to stop and share some of what he gave to us all with each
other. A printout of what is posted here will be sent to his family.

In the meantime, I hope to hear some of the reminiscences you might like
to share with us.
                             Charlen

To: ALL
From: LEONARD
Subj: CHARLES

I was one of those who had contact with Charles essentially on this, and
some other BBSs. A long time ago, our paths had minimally crossed, but not
sufficiently for us to get to know each other. In the time I knew him via
the BBSs I certainly learned to respect his point of view, as well as his
ventures in helping others. Wonder why we have to wait until people die
before we can really appreciate them - at least some of them.

  To: ALL
From: JEAN
Subj: A GATHERING OF FRIENDS

Before entering this conference I read the names of the people who
belong to it. If you haven't read the list, it is worth doing. As dozens
of names scroll across your screen, perhaps you will see those people
one by one and in small groups and crowds come filing into this meeting
room of friends where we are met to remember Charles.
        You will see names of people you have not seen for a long time,
and some you see all the time - just like visiting a funeral home, isn't
it?
        And this is obviously a very big funeral, judging by the crowds
of people who are attending. We may have to put chairs in the hallways,
and out on the front lawn, and run speakers out the windows so everyone
will be able to hear.
        [Charles, are you surprised so many people turned out for you?
Well, you shouldn't be.]
        Wish we could have a big feast in Charles' honor. He loved
Chinese food. We lunched at a Chinese restaurant in west Alexandria where
they had the best, the absolutely best sweet & sour chicken I have ever
eaten.
        Charles, ever the adventurous, advised the Dim Sum, which are
little dishes of only-the-chef-knows-what-and-he's-not-telling. I, the
gastronomic coward, said, No, thanks, this looks like the kind of food
which might have faces in the most unexpected places.
        "Well, I will join you in being conservative, then," he said,
with a laugh - and ordered octopus! OCTOPUS! Aiiieee - I'm glad he
didn't do something radical.
        He said he liked adventurous dining, and enjoyed this restaurant
because you could dine sumptuously on Dim Sum, enjoy many tastes at
reasonable cost, and in pleasant surroundings.
And he was so right - but I think it was the company that made it so
pleasant.

  To: JEAN
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: A GATHERING OF FRIENDS

  "..Wish we could have a big feast in Charles' honor. He loved
   Chinese food. We lunched at a Chinese restaurant in west Alexandria
   where they had the best, the absolutely best sweet & sour chicken I have
   ever eaten."

Perhaps we can get together and do that sometime. Charles and I ate once
at the Good Fortune at the Barcroft Plaza on Columbia Pike near the road
to Lincolnia. It was a great feast.  Another time we went to a little
homemade bagel place in the little international plaza on the corner of
Seminary Road and George Mason Drive. We took little Ryan, my grandson
who had been talking only a few months at that point and was at that
great stage where they are learning new words as fast as they can. Not
sure which of the two was enjoying the other the most, Charles or Ryan.

To: ALL
From: HERMAN
Subj: CHARLIE

Charlie and I crossed paths at OEO (Office of Economic Opportunity) back
in the mid-sixties during LBJ's War on Poverty, but we did not get to
know each other then and Charlie didn't recall it more than 20 years
later, as I did. I got to know Charlie much better via this and other
BBS conferences, and we quarreled bitterly over social and political
matters: We were definitely at poles, so anyone who was familiar with
Charlie's philosophies can easily guess at mine! I learned to respect
his views, eventually, although I never agreed with them, and some
animosity eventually became mutual respect and friendship. I visited
with Charlie where he lived, carrying some items I was donating to his
"Alte Hackers" initiative, and we had a most enjoyable chat for a couple
of hours. (I suppose we both studiously avoided the subjects where we
differed most!) I thus came to consider him a dear friend and was looking
forward to future personal visits when the shattering news of his death
broke suddenly and totally unexpectedly. I mourn his passing and honor his
memory with the respect that I know he deserves.
                                                   - Herm

To: HERMAN
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: CHARLIE

  "... animosity eventually became mutual respect and friendship. I visited
   with Charlie where he lived, carrying some items I was donating to
   his "Alte Hackers" initiative, and we had a most enjoyable chat for a
   couple of hours."

I hope we'll be able to continue the Alte Hackers project. We have
talked to someone from the Retired Teachers Assn. about that, and they
suggested we wait until good weather, since the seniors don't like to
walk to the other building in bad, before attempting to pick up where
Charles left off. They'll need to start over almost, I expect, since by
then they'll have forgotten much of what they learned.


To: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
From: HERMAN
Subj: CHARLIE

I am glad to hear that the AH is likely to continue. Keep us posted,
will you? so that some of us can continue to support it.
                                        - Herm

From: SHEL
Subj: A MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES

I feel that the finest memorial to Charles is that Charlen and her team
have worked so hard to keep his board going.

  To: HERMAN
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: CHARLIE
  "...I am glad to hear that the AH is likely to continue. Keep us posted,
   will you, so that some of us can continue to support it.  - Herm"

I hope people will want to help us. We aren't really in a position to
take it on unless we do get lots of help.  So far people have
volunteered to help teach specific things, but we really need a mentor
as a sort of anchor for the group, someone who can build a rapport with
them. It is one thing for someone who doesn't know you to say "Come on,
give it a try! I know you can do it!" and totally another for someone
who does know you well with all your strengths and limitations to say
the same thing.


  To: SHEL
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: A MEMORIAL FOR CHARLES

  "...I feel that the finest memorial to Charles is that Charlen and her
   team have worked so hard to keep his board going."

Thank you. That means a lot. I hadn't thought of it that way.


  To: LEONARD
From: FRANK
Subj: CHARLES, ET. AL.

  "... Wonder why we have to wait until people die before we can really
   appreciate them - at least some of them."

The purpose of this conference is to reflect on Charles and his life,
but I also wanted to reflect on your comment, as quoted above.

I didn't know Charles for very long, nor very well.  We chatted on line
a few times and I took him to a meeting on a Saturday.  He died the
following Wednesday.  He had one phone line, and the traffic on that
line was usually with BBS calls.

He told me about a couple of programs that he had written, unusual ones,
I thought, and the thinking that went into them, and he told me a little
about his life -- and I came to appreciate this guy.  What a well
rounded, interesting life he led.  What a contrast it must have been
when he became confined to his wheelchair.

Just for the short time that I knew him, I appreciate and respect him.
I wish that we could have chatted more.  He knew a lot, and he had a lot
to give to the world.

I don't know why people have to die before we can appreciate them.
There is a lesson in all of this.  We should appreciate them when they
are living, too, and not take them for granted.  It seems that we find
the great ones, but we discover them after they are gone, and we cannot
appreciate them in the here and now.


 To: FRANK
From: LEONARD
Subj: BEFORE THEY DIE

You are so right.
In 1980 it was found that I had cancer and went in for an operation.
As I sat in bed that afternoon, thinking of the next day and what it
might bring, I found myself thinking of the people I had not thanked.
Indeed, I wrote an article on this for one of the professional magazines
where I was contributing a monthly article at the time.
In all my professional publishing (10 books, 150+ articles) none of them
produced the volume and intensity of feedback I received from that one
brief article - where I wrote about thanking people before you die for
what they have done for you.
(P.S. - Cancer is now in remission for 12 years, so I am doing fine.)

To: LEONARD
From: FRANK
Subj: BEFORE THEY DIE

I am so glad that you told me that.  Death, what to do about it, what
happens to people when somebody dies, the frail nature of life -- all
these topics have been interesting to me for some years.  You don't know
what it's like to lose somebody until you lose them.  My father died
about a year ago and I am working on that still.

Your idea of thanking people while you still can is important.  I can
understand how people might have reacted to your brief article; it
probably gave them a lot of insight that they would not have had
otherwise.  And so the same courtesy is due you.

Thank you.

  To: LEONARD
From: FRANK
Subj: BEFORE THEY DIE


Regarding the remission of your cancer, I am so glad that it is in
remission.  Stay on top of it, please.


  To: FRANK
From: LEONARD
Subj: WHEN THEY DIE

Losing a parent is always traumatic.  You are probably aware of some of
the work of those who have written about it (Kubler-Ross), but there is
another aspect called "transition".

Essentially, there is the current state (parent has died) and the future
state (accepting it), but to go from the current state to the future,
one has to go through transition.

The important thing is to start transition.  My wife gives an example of
somebody faced with an escalator.  It is not possible to put one foot on
the escalator (transition) and keep on foot on the ground (current
state.)

The move has to be made, and that is what is called kill or celebration,
depending on how one views the words.  They are the same, however, in
that they call for some overt action that signifies you have left the
current state and are now in transition.

(Sorry - didn't mean to make this so long, but once I got started ...)

  To: FRANK
From: LEONARD
Subj: BEFORE THEY DIE

  "...Regarding the remission of your cancer, I am so glad that it is in
   remission.  Stay on top of it, please."

I do, with a yearly examination.  I have been warned that it is all to
easy to just slip into a euphoric state, and that can be very dangerous!


  To: LEONARD
From: FRANK
Subj: WHEN THEY DIE

Thank you for your comments re. losing someone.  I have nothing to add,
at this point.  I appreciate your thoughts.

To: LEONARD
From: FRANK
Subj: STAYING ON TOP

Thanks for your optimism, which I share with you.  Please continue with
your examinations.

  To: ALL
From: JOHN
Subj: CHARLES

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... I never liked funerals. Everyone was always dressed up
to impress... somebody.... never knew just who. Everybody here seems to
just be coming by to BE with anyone else who's here then too. NO
impressing, no fancy dressers. . . I traded a few thoughts with Mr
Frankle, including an aborted attempt at some idealized revival of radio
theater. I was surprised at his patience and enthusiasm ( without
gushing!) at seemingly ANYTHING that was interesting to somebody. He
was classy, not something I'd found through a modem before then.

He seemed wise, in the long term way of not pressing for anything but
always having a calming question to respond to some diatribe or personal
philosophical spouting, that made you stop a second or three and
realize ( again!) that you actually didn't know everything and probably
oughta listen more to what was going on around you.

To: JOHN
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: CHARLES

   "Sheesh... little letters  on a screen, notes from some time ago, no
    face, no voice, what an odd way to communicate."

Check out the information on the Potluck dinner in the main area. Charles
used to come every year, wheelchair and all, and I'm sure he'll be with us
in spirit this time. He loved to see people have a good time.

To: ALL
From: FRANK
Subj: IT'S LONELY IN HERE

It sure is quiet and lonely in here.  I think that it is a neat idea, so
appropriate, that this conference would be here in honor of Charles.  He
brought a lot to the world, as far as I am able to figure out, and he
brought a lot to this BBS, especially during the time that he was SysOp.
I enjoyed the few conferences that I had with him, and I think that it
is really sad that I don't see messages here every day.

Sometimes we learn from people when they are living, and sometimes we
learn from them even after they stop living.

To: CHARLES FRANKLE
From: ROBERT
Subj: HELLO, CHARLES

Hello, Charles,

Well, now that the visits here are becoming less frequent -- can we talk?
It seemed strange that when I typed your name it said you were not found
in the User's file.  Why not?  You always liked it here, so I assume
you're still 'lurking' around.  I know lurking is not your style, but
its better than nothing, right?

As you can see, Charlen and Dan saved the BBS with some financial help
from some of us who want it to be here -- just like you saved it because
you wanted it to be here.  We appreciated that.  So there's no reason to
stop talking to you, is there?  I didn't think so.

Somewhere in my Atari disks I have that message where you told about
seasoning some food in a Paris restaurant.  It was a classic.  Best of
the best pieces I've ever read online.  I'll find it one of these days
and do a re-run.  We can have another good laugh together!

Well, as you can see, my time is up.  But I'll be back.

Best regards,  R.

To: ALL
From: CHARLES H.
Subj: CHARLIE

Charlie,
        Your name's not in the user list.  Very sad.
Even as we did not always agree, your courage and intelligence always
impressed me.  Inspired me in ways, too.

To: OUR SYSOPS
From: JEAN
Subj: A REQUEST

Dear Sysops,
        As some of the visitors here have observed, Charles's name is no
longer on the User List. And yet his spirit has enlightened all of us
and continues to do so.
        Though we can't place a stone marker for him on a sunny hillside
somewhere, could we ask you to put Charles's name back on the user list
- permanently?
        If this is possible, thanks. If not, we will understand.


To: JEAN
From: DAN (SYSOP)
Subj: A REQUEST

No problem ..... it is done ...

To: DAN (SYSOP)
From: ROBERT
Subj: A REQUEST

Charles,

Dan has restored your name to the list.  I was moved to see that.  And
happy.  That makes ECPN extra special.  How many BBoards have someone
like you to talk to?

Do me a favor.  If you can't chat the usual way, quit doing what you
just did.  It kicked me offline!  I mean, keep trying, but don't try
that one again.  :)

Did I tell you about the time Samuel F.B. Morse left me a message?
True story.  I told my graphic design class to meet me at the Corcoran
Gallery of Art one night a few years ago.  I got there early and went up
to Gallery 16 to see the large painting Morse did of the old House of
Representatives.  I had his biography, 'The American Leonardo,' with me.
Alone in Gallery 16, up the marble stairs on the second floor, I studied
the painting and particularly the artist's signature intently.  "Sam'l.
F.B. Morse, 1822."  Then, when I started to leave -- I had to meet the
class -- he turned the lights out on me!  The guard said that had never
happened before.  He knew I didn't do it because the switch was 20 yards
away.

It was shortly after that that Morse came online.  It was on ALF, the
Agriculture Library BBS over in Beltsville -- about half a mile from the
RR tracks where he strung his first telegraph lines.  Know what he did?
He changed the Subject heading on a message.  Changed it to "Stalk 16."

Why don't you try something like that, instead of kicking me offline?

That's okay.  I got the message.  That's just like you!  :)

Now I'll post this under your name.  In case you're being fussy tonight!

Regards,  R.

To: CHARLES FRANKLE
From: FRANK
Subj: CHECKIN' IN

Charles,

How are you doing?  Haven't heard from you in awhile, but then I wasn't
expecting to.  I don't expect to get a reply here, either.

We didn't know each other for very long, nor very well in that short
period, but I could tell, just from our few chats and our few hours on
the way to and from that meeting that we went to, that you were a pretty
interesting guy -- and interested in people around you.  I thought it
was pretty nice, the way that you wanted to set up that group thing to
teach elementary computer skills to people who had been around the
planet for * years *, and had not had any experience with computers.
Those people would have to have had a lot of resistance, yet you wanted
to do a service to them.  I think that is very commendable. I wish the
world had more people with your kinds of characteristics and qualities.

I noticed that there is very little communication here, and I think that
is unfortunate.  We get on this planet for so short a time, we get here
under protest with no say about where we land, and depending on our
attitudes and circumstances, we may wind up in a very different place as
compared to where we started when we got here, and most of it is our
own doing, depending on our attitudes and such -- yet if you had
said where you wanted to wind up, I don't think you would have wound up
where you wound up.

Traffic here, as I said, is pretty light here lately, but I wanted you
to know that I appreciate where you've been and what you've done.  I
wish you had stayed here longer, but when it's time to check out, we
check out -- usually without notice.  Maybe more people will check in
here and leave you a note.  In any case, I think that you left your
impression here, and the world is a better place because you were here.

To: CHARLES FRANKLE
From: FRANK
Subj: GREETING

Hi, Charles.

You don't get much traffic in here lately.  I wonder what that says
about people.  Probably doesn't say anything.

Well, I've said it before: I think it would be nice if there were some
traffic in here.  A few messages from people telling you what's been
going on, and how their lives are going, or whether they remember about
you.

I didn't know you very well, but for the short time that I knew you, I
enjoyed the chats, the ideas, the accomplishments you told me about and
the things you did.  You hung around here on the planet Earth for as
long as you did, and I wish it had been for longer, but you were here
for as long as you were here, and that's all anyone can do.

I don't expect to hear from you, but I think it's fine for me (and
others) to drop by here and say hello once in a while.

I wish the others would do it, too.

We folks here on the Planet Earth have the notion that when we are here,
we are here, and when we are gone, we are gone.

I don't buy it.  I don't.

I buy the notion that when we are here, we are here, but I also think
that when we are gone, our spirit lives on.  We just aren't very
sensitive to that, most of us.

Well, I just wanted to say hello.


To: CHARLES FRANKLE
From: ROBERT
Subj: NOW CUT THAT OUT!

Charles,

When I asked you to send a signal that you are here you cut me off of
PubNet for over a month!  I guess you're just learning the new system.
But please don't do that again.

I got your message!

Regards,  R.

To: CHARLES FRANKLE
From: FRANK
Subj: GREETING

How are you doing, Charles?  It looks like nobody has been in here, and
I didn't want you to be lonely in here, all by yourself.  I don't
understand why more people don't stop by once in a while, at least, and
see what's going on, and perhaps leave a note for you or about you.
There's not too many bulletin boards around that have a conference for
one member.

Maybe it says more about me than it does about you, that I want to drop
by here and keep leaving messages for you, when nobody else does.  Maybe
it says more about my hard-headedness than anything.  Most people would
see that they are not getting any replies, and they would make more
productive efforts in other ways.

But I just wanted to stop by and see how you are doing, and say hello.
Again.

At least I know I won't be getting a reply here from you, and under the
circumstances, that's okay.


To: FRANK
From: JEAN
Subj: GREETING

Frank;
I think Charles answers at times altho now he is not limited to a screen.
I find thoughts of him popping into my mind at times, remembering words he
said or wrote as if he were commenting on present events. I like to think
he is indeed commenting, and that is a way he has of sharing his comments.
Perhaps this happens with you, too, and that is why you stop in here?

To: JEAN
From: FRANK
Subj: GREETING

Jean,

Thanks for your message.  I didn't realize I had one or more messages in
here.  Perhaps he is commenting, and I just didn't notice.  I'm glad
that you, Charles, and I are here.  And if anybody else is here, I'm
glad about that, too.  I find that conversation flows better when it is
two-sided (or more-sided), and perhaps I didn't notice if he is
commenting.  That's the trouble with this kind of situation.  You don't
know if you are getting replies from the person you are talking to.

To: FRANK
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: GREETING

I am in here too. We are not alone.

To: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
From: FRANK
Subj: GREETING

It's nice that you are here, too.  I think that others should be here
too.

To: ALL
From: JOEL
Subj: CHARLIE AND ME

I spoke to Charles on the phone several times.  He was hospitalized and
the SYSOP appealed to us to give him a call.  I think the man's phone
rarely rested during his hospital stay.

With all modesty, I suggested the name "Alte Hackers" for the seniors
computer group.  I was just being a smart-ass, but Charles saw beyond
that and, to my great surprise, took the name.

To: ALL
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: ALTE HACKERS

I am sure that all of you will be glad to hear that Charles's group, the
Alte Hackers, is alive and well. As many as 15 per session have been
attending Thursday night class sessions in the "Stone House" activity
building of the Arlington Retired Teachers Assn. at the Woodland Hills
apartments where Charles used to live. Members of a computer users
group, ECCO, to which Dan and I both belong are assisting us in this
project.

If you have a particular program you would like to demonstrate for the
group, let us know so we can put you on the schedule.

To: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
From: MARYLEE
Subj: ALTE HACKERS

That's great, Charlen.  And 15 is a pretty large group.

To: MARYLEE
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: ALTE HACKERS

There has been some attrition--Thursday night is also choral singing
night. <wry grin>

To: ALL
From: JEAN
Subj: ALTE HACKERS

Good to hear the Alte Hackers is thriving - even if some take a break at
times for choir practice. Bravo to you, Charlen, and all who helped this
happen. If Charles hasn't had any remarks it's because he is too busy
grinning (don't you think?)

To: JEAN
From: CHARLEN (SYSOP)
Subj: ALTE HACKERS

Could well be.

I am always open to have volunteers on Thursday nights
for the classes. We have 3 machines, sometimes four, that we take, and
we need a teacher for each machine. We have one or two students per
machine and they really most of them need spoon feeding. We have taught
them about the equipment, how to make text files with Q-edit, how to use
PC Tools to rename, copy, move, and delete the files they have made, and
also to use PC Tools to add and remove subdirectories in which to put
their files. This week they are supposed to bring something to type into
a file which they will then copy from the hard drive to a floppy and
then print from the floppy on another machine using the printer. Because
of erratic attendance, or a late start, all the students are at a
different point in the above, and all but one who is more experienced
are not at all ready to do the above by themselves.  About half have
language problems too. So you can see that we don't need super-techies
to give us a hand with the teaching, just folks who can handle the
basics and help beginners. The members of our computer users group have
been helping out with this, but most are quite busy so we usually need
at least one extra hand.

The equipment donated to Charles for purposes of these classes is
brought in for their use each week. Thanks again to those who made these
contributions. We couldn't do this without them.


     While Charles Frankle's project goes on, thoughts about the man himself
reoccur, Charlen said. "Charles has been much in my thoughts as the one-year
anniversary of his death comes near. It seems only yesterday that he and I
and Ryan, my grandson, went on an expedition to the bagel store and we sat
munching our bagels while he and Ryan conversed at some length. Ryan was
still in the process of learning to talk, but Charles was able to draw an
incredible amount of commentary out of him."

     Reading over the thoughts expressed about Charles in the bulletin board
conference which bears his name, Charlen observed, "A great deal has been
left out. One thing that most impressed me about Charles was hardly
mentioned at all, and that is his incredible wisdom and insight into human
nature. I have known many brilliant people in my time, but very, very few
who deserved the label 'wise.' Charles was truly a wise man. He once
commented that much of what I considered wisdom had come from his
grandmother. She was always telling him stories - fables, I guess - and he
said that although he didn't understand them as a child, the meanings became
clear as he grew older.

     "As a grandmother myself, who tells things to my grandson surely beyond
his present understanding, that little story meant a lot to me."
_________________________________________________________________________

     As this article went to press, Don Gruenther learned of its existence
and offered a priceless contribution. He dug into the files of his bbs, The
National Capital Tandy Computer Users Group (NCTUG), and came up with the
following quotation, from Charles himself. Don, thanks so much. Nothing
could be more appropriate than to let Charles have the last word:

     "...I think I can honestly say that the BBS systems have, in a certain
sense, saved my life. When I became a paraplegic, I was confined to my home
nearly 24 hours a day. The existence of BBS's provided an outlet to the
external world that I could not have duplicated in any other way.
        I'm sure I would have become 'stir crazy' were it not for the
conversations, both inane and informative, on the bulletin boards. And I
made a number of good friends, many of whom I've never seen..."
                                                -- Charles Frankle
                                                   August 9, 1991
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The above article, in a shortened form, ran in the Capitol Area Sysops
Association (CASA) publication in January 1993. We reprint it here, because
space considerations forced the CASA publication to delete the messages in
the "Charles" conference. Since the contents of that conference are, as far
as we know, unique in the bbs world, we offer them for your reflection.
                                  =X=X=X=