The Parking Angel

There was a woman...a vividly unique and unusual woman...who traveled the streets of downtown Anchorage in a customized PINK meter maid car, dressed in a pink tutu. She would drive just ahead of the parking authority police and would drop nickels into the expired meters of those about to receive tickets. She did this in protest of what she viewed as unfair practices of the Anchorage Parking Authority, and she did this in rain, snow, sleet, or hail. As you can probably imagine, these sorts of conditions occurred a lot in Alaska. USA Today did a story on her. So did the National Enquirer. I think she liked the National Enquirer attention the best...

This same woman saw everyone through the most non-judgmental eyes that you could imagine...caring not the least if someone was dirty, or homeless, or an alcoholic. She would pull the last dime out of her own pocket to make sure someone had something to eat-or even a drink if they were shaking in withdrawal. She would sit and talk with people for hours. As a result of this genuine kindness and lack of pretense, she has accumulated throughout her life the most diverse and unlikely group of friends...politicians to prostitutes...the wealthy to the homeless..she just did not measure people by anything other than who they presented themselves to be in their hearts. She inspired people to action. She infected people with her enthusiasm. She had talents she never gave herself credit for.

Her manner was like a hurricane in a car accident...frenzied, fast, hard to follow, sometimes even painful to be around. Her mind would race, filled with brilliant ideas. She was impulsive, kind, and somehow tortured. She would often take care of other people more than she would take care of herself. She was hilarious and sad, all at once. She was impossible to capture with words. She would have probably been hard to capture with a tranquilizer gun, super glue, and duct tape.

She was my friend, and she saved my ass so many times. She made me laugh. She was a genuinely good person.

She died yesterday.

Linny...I hope you knew how much people loved you, and how deeply you impacted people's lives....I wish you had given yourself the same kindness and generosity you bestowed on others.

Just knowing you were in the world, running in five directions at once, gave me comfort. Your absence is heavy, and hard to even think about. I love you Linny. You bonehead.

Alaska Daily News