Zbigniew (Spino) Pakula
Zbigniew (Spino) Pakula
17 May 1949 – 14 June 2015
Spike, in my novel, Cedar, Salmon and Weed, was based on Spino: “He was a good worker—summer resident widows, their husbands busy making money in the big city, frequently singled him out for odd jobs. Of course, they were influenced by his swimmer’s physique, bleached curly hair, and pale blue eyes.” (p. 9) The fictional Spike resisted the call of alcohol, but just barely; Spino, not.
Thanks, Louis. He was my best friend for many years in spite of the nickname he bestowed upon me. He had an incredibly sharp mind that hid a fatal trait – abrasive and shy, wound up so tight he could only be released by alcohol.
I worked with “Spino” on a project in Kye Bay (Vancouver Island) in ’76. Feasability study on the harvest of seaweed on the west coast with Canadian Benthic.
Had a warm thought about my time there and thought “Where is he now?” A little bit of time on the “Google” yeilded his passing.
Sad, but, many fond memories of our time there, and what I learned.
Léo