When the author was growing up he would visit relatives on the Colville Indian Reservation. His uncle Alfred "Fud" Perkins, who lived near Twin Lakes, was an inspiration to the author by the way he lived his Catholic faith, treating with respect all that his creator had put on Earth. He was kind, stoic, understanding, patient, and a great fisherman. He always had time to listen. On a visit as a teenager, Fud told the author that some problems in life were like mud puddles. One could put a stick in the puddle to clear it or stand back and let it clear by itself. Fud was beloved by all those who came to know him. The artwork on this page is dedicated to Fud for being an example of how one should walk this Earth. He truly embodied the strength of Shadow Top in a humble and faithful way.