My friend Lou told me a story today. He said it was a magical tale, and when he finished talking, I had to agree that it was indeed odd... and quite probably "magical", magic being that which we do not understand. (Yet. I have faith we'll get there.)
To appreciate this story, one needs to know just a little about Lou. He is a musician. Trumpet is his instrument. Before he slowed down, he did gigs all over the place..... Atlanta, Venezuala, Washington DC, .... He always gave me and my kids free tickets to the NutCracker performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet, since he was in the orchestra. That gig was too good to turn down... worth the BS. He had to put his daughter through school. When he lived around the corner from me on Allen Street, people would anxiously await his daily practice..... he put in 4 - 8 hours each day, and expected no less from students, when he graciously agreed to accept them --- and IF a student could put up with his eccentric ways, they were truly able to appreciate artistic genius.
The place was the Washington Monument in DC. The event was The Moratorium on the Viet Nam War. The time was 1969. Lou and his mates were doing a gig. They ran into a fellow musician.... in an overcoat, hiding a trumpet. They struck up a conversation, and the cat was from Boston, and said he had come to DC to play at the Moratorium. But he had no way to get in to the venue, so Lou told him to duck in with him and the boys. So in they went..... and the cat just vanished.
So Lou and his fellow musicians are on stage, at the Moratorium, playing, and Lou sees the guy in the overcoat in the audience.... their eyes meet, and Lou motions to him to come up on stage. And he does, and plays with the band, and then the number ends. The guy walks up to the main microphone, lifts his horn and begins playing..... the national anthem. "Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light......" and everyone stood - at attention. Timothy Leary stood at attention. And so did Benjamin Spock. The armed forces on the rooftops laid down their arms, and at attention, saluted. The only sound was the horn. Playing the Star Spangled Banner. Perfectly. Flawlessly. (This was in Lou's judgment, mind you - and I think Lou is artistic genius. In our 25 year acquaintance, I've heard Lou complement musicians only infrequently.) Time stood still. The piece ended, and time resumed.
Was anyone there? Does anyone remember this happening? What do you think this man set into motion that day - 10.15.1969?
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