Art Delisle Is Dead

That was the big news this morning in service. I first heard about it from Leslie, as we were driving around in her van. Apparently it's been all over the news around here, but since I don't have TV and don't get the newspapers, I hadn't heard anything about it. Leslie found out from Cal, as they were on their way home from a shopping trip. "My heart completely sank," she said, recalling the shock she felt when she heard.

I was pretty stunned, too. Art Delisle, the ex-military spy, is Andrew's dad, and one of our early morning regulars. He's got a very bad heart, and travels down to Portland once a week for a round of special medicine as part of a clinical trial. His health problems never got him down, though. He's a funny guy, totally goofy, the kind of person who can strike up a conversation with anybody. He conducts Bible studies at laundry mats and bus stops.

I think everyone was pretty shocked by the news. But I doubt anyone was more shocked than Art himself, when he started getting emails, phone calls and text messages from anxious friends, saying, "Art!!! Please tell me you're alive!!!!" He picked up a newspaper and saw the headline, Art Delisle, 51, Dies in Argentina. He skimmed over the story, about a local mountain climber (definitely not our Art), who suffered a terrible mishap while on a solo climb in South America. And then he started having a field day with the whole thing. His face was lit up with glee this morning after the service meeting, as he told me his plans for opening a charity fund at his local bank, to cover the "funeral expenses," and aquiring a death certificate to send to all his bill collectors.

"I gotta take advantage of this," he said. "I mean, what are the odds?"

I agreed that such a golden opportunity to fake one's own death doesn't come around too often.

Crazy guy. I'm glad he's ok.