You glance up and see someone who resembles the young man. Then a pair of blue canvas shoes with sand still clinging to shredded soles. There are snapshots of a handsome kid with lank hair climbing on rocks, and another where he is playing his guitar. There he is as a little boy with his father and grandfather preparing to launch a rocket into the Colorado sky. His achievements are perfectly organized and displayed chronologically on a series of tables.
They are here to celebrate an extraordinary young man. They patiently wait their turn and then sign their names into the guest book. Some wear blazers with sneakers, and some wear gingham dresses with muddy hiking boots. More than 300 guests walk single file into the Arcata Community Center in far North California.
