for Craig

i mailed with Craig in November 2006, while working on issue 9 of BluePrintReview. he submitted a piece of art, "bees", which became part of the issue. it's still online, here the direct link: Bees.

today, 4 years later, i received a mail which at first left me puzzled, it looked like spam, especially as it was mailed to an open list of about 160 mail-adresses. but it didn't sound like spam:

Hello,
To those of you that know Craig, recently, he had been admitted to St. E. with congestive heart failure, COPD, and pneumonia. Currently he is in SICU(Surgical Intensive Care Unit) on a ventilator, hooked up to tubes, and monitors. As bad as this is and how it sounds his condition is improving. Today he had been weened off of the ventilator and will now be using a C-PAP. Like most things in life, there are still uncertainties. He specifically asked me(his mind is completely there) to pass on this information:

Craig would like to say that he loves you all and to please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Also if you are in the area, please do not visit. He still needs a lot of rest. However, he would like to see you all when he returns home.

Sincerely,
K.

--

it took a bit to place the name, and as the day unrolled, it became apparent that i wasn't the only one who was feeling a mix of mystified sympathy. which then lead to the following memorable mass-e-mail-conversation that i want to share here, for Craig, and for the spirit of the indefinite virtues of web connections (all names and places are initialized.):

15.28
I'm very sorry to read about Craig (though glad he is improving!), but can you tell me which Craig this is about?
Best wishes for a quick recovery, A.

17.35
I am equally stumped. Does anyone know who this is? I also do not recognize any names on the distribution list. - M.

17.42
I have no idea any of you are, though sorry to hear about your situation, Craig! We should all probably send them our social security numbers and bank account numbers though. I'm sure they would be beneficial to them somehow.
;)

19.47
Did some email sleuthing: Craig submitted poems to Front Magazine once. He now lives in K. - K.

19.51
Ok, Get better Craig.
V.

20.34
Hello cousins
I think we must be some kind of cyber soul group. It’s a pleasure to meet you and let’s send good vibes to Craig, who sounds like he needs them. There is no order of difficulty of miracles.
Lovingly E.

21.09
Maybe this is some sort of elaborate poetic rouse! Flarf taken to another level or something. I think we should probably continue replying to all indefinitely. What do you guys think? - K.

22.09
This has to be some internet installation. All the editors in all the world are desperately trying to remember a writer who they probably once rejected or who never submitted to them. I never published anyone named Craig – not even Raine. God, I am in Scotland… I might publish all the emails tho… - J.

22.41
unsubscribe - M.

22.51
I'm no editor nor am I K. (New York), but now that we're at it... I might publish his work on my blog or something. Craig, send me something! Or the emails, at least...
Why hasn't the original sender responded?
Where's Waldo.... - A.

22.54 (message shortened)
I have no idea how I got in his address book but in the here and now world we are here and now. et’s focus on Craig and – be mindful we may have other work or creative stuff to do together. Anyone who wants can email me, and I am easy to find otherwise.
Have a safe and sane weekend, all, and Craig — hello out there!
- E. / planetwaves

00.35
Hi everyone- I think I may have been included in error. I don't know who Craig is. And I hope he has a speedy recovery. But please take me off of the "reply all" email addresses. Thank you, and no reply to this email is necessary.
-- M.
.