This may be a slightly irregular letter, but I am in search of a lost juggler. About eight years ago, my family and I took a vacation to New York, and for lunch we found ourselves at a small bus station. Coincidentally, during the same weekend there was a juggling convention in New York, and one juggler and his wife just happened to stumble onto us. As far as I can remember, he was middle-aged and blond, and he carried a set of five golden sacks that his wife made for him.
Seeing us five kids hassling my mom over lunch, he started to entertain us with five balls and spinning balls off his head and all sorts of neat tricks. Finally he tossed three balls at me and told me to juggle. I could keep them in the air for only a short while, but he said I had talent. We left by exchanging addresses and we never saw each other again.
A couple of months later, I received a package from this juggler with a set of three balls, three scarves, and a juggling guidebook for the beginning juggler inside. In an attached letter he wrote, "Contact me when you reach five balls and we'll juggle together." He never asked for anything else, just the thrill of seeing another person learn to juggle. I guess you can call him a juggling Samaritan.
The good news is that now I can juggle five balls, pass seven clubs (even on a rola-bola) and I even have a summer job as a professional juggler. The bad news is that I lost his address a long time ago. I was wondering if you could put this letter in the magazine in hopes that he'll read it. If I had not run into him eight years ago I don't know what I would be doing now. Juggling is my life. It would really mean a lot to me if I could contact him again.
Ted Kraje
104 London Terrace
Evington, VA 24550
Does anyone know the whereabouts of IJA Life Member #8, Bruce Zalkin? He was formerly of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., but IJA mail to him has been returned recently. If you can help us locate him now, please contact IJA secretary Tom Bennett at 216/745-3552. Thank you!