Smarter than the Average Bear

Hello Palouse,

I just found out that my friend “Bear” Bruce Nisse died of a heart attack this week. I knew that he had a heart condition. But, he rode his bicycle, worked out on his treadmill and tried to stay one step ahead of the old grim reaper. Sometimes marathons are longer than you think, and the bud guy catches up.

I can only remember one argument that we had. I wrote a story about methane and philo-plankton that his wife, (the REAL boss,) LuJane had edited. I got upset about how it was edited and LuJane and I got into an argument. Then, when I tracked down Bear, we got into an argument because he was pissed off at me for arguing with his wife. We all got over it.

Then there was the time that Bear wrote an editorial in which he mentioned, “I have this friend who comes by and borrows a couple of bucks all the time. He tells me, like Whimpy in the Popeye cartoon, that he will play me back next week.”

I read that, and in my next story at the end I said, “Whimpy asked for a hamburger today, and he would pay for it the second Tuesday of next week.” We all know that the second Tuesday never comes. But Bear and I actually let the People of Palouse know our financial arrangements for one month.

One day, Bear was giving me a ride home, and we were talking about prejudice. Bear said, “It would be like me walking into the Oakland office of the Black Panthers and asking to join up.” I replied, “What about a black guy joining the KKK?” He asked me if I could write that, and I told him that I could give him something. It became the “Story of Elgin.” The put it on page two!. I heard Maxwell Smart say, “You missed the front page
by this much.” Not really, of course, but I could hear Don Adams in my brain.

I am comforted by the fact that when it is my time, I will have an editor waiting for me. And I will hear, “That story is too long... It doesn’t make any sense... There’s no continuity...” and I will know that I am home.

God Bless You Bear. I am not that far behind you. And, we will meet again.

Your Friend, — Charles Sack