WOOLY BULLY

Weekend Assignment #65...Summer song dedication......I dedicate this to all the young men  who on a summer nights such as these take steps from innocence to adolesence...................................

   When I was 15, the borders or moarality were certainly narrower than they are today. A James Bond Movie was  consudered to be bordering  "soft porn" . T.V. was all about sit coms, and detectives.....issues of sex and  homosexuality, were never raised. Condoms could only be purchased from the pharmacist, and femine products ....not advertised! 

   Despite sexuality not being in full view in the media, the imagination of young men always had a large screen TV playing in the screens of their minds!

   It was on a summer afternoon, my friend Ron and I were walking through a park, harmonizing our favorite song, and smiling at the lovely young girls as they passed by. "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, great tune, mysterious lyrics, a great attention getter when sung with its throbbing gusto.

"Matty told Hatty, about this thing she saw" we were singing, when suddenly the sight of something stopped us in our tracks.

"Is it what I think it is?" I asked

"yes" smiled Ron..."it sure is"

"I can't believe it!" I said in complete astonishment. "I mean, I can't believe something like that would happen here".

"Well Marc, you had better believe it...and believe me, they had one fine time!"

"Man", I sighed, "I wonder when I am going to be so lucky"

"One day" Ron said, "One day we all be this lucky!"

We both mused at the lifeless condom laying on the ground, which had indicated a finer moment had taken place where we were standing. I looked up.."Hey Ron, look whose coming...The Moss twins!......  They don't have much of a chest, but they are cute"....."Ok...On three....Uno, Dos, tres.....Matty told Hatty, that's the thing to do, get you someone really, to pull the wool with you....wooly bully, wooly bully......"

Communicating!

Birds chirp from trees.....dogs bark in the night.....whales emit a lonesome cry....."You Talking to Me?"

    There is no denying that each and every species was granted both the need and ability to communicate with each other. Each species has inherited a very special and unique language to enable some form of communicating.

   Look at Man......from drawing stck figures on cave walls 10,000 years ago....to instant messaging on the interenet!  Communication!  Its very need has propelled mans sense of invention.

   Despite being able to refine our methods of communicating, despite our technological wizardry...we still have problems understanding each other! We shout and argue , talk till we are "blue in the face" and yet, we feel we are being misunderstood! Are we that poor in communicating?

   How unfortunate, all this precise technology at our fingertips...but who among us has mastered the art of managing the words. Our words are formed at the speed of light, they pass through our heart which contains  a sea of emotions....fear, greed, jealousy, anger.....and in a milisecond the words shoot out of our mouths......and like feathers in  the wind...impossible to gather back in.  Are we in such a rush to speak....or perhaps,  are  we just a bit emotional?

   I have found a language that is understood and accepted by people who don't even speak the same languge as me. When words are coated with kindness and understanding...the message is always understood!

  To all who read....remember, a  :)  is always the best way to begin a conversation. When I see yours....I'll know you have understood this message.

 smiles...sweet and warm........Marc :)

The Price Of Free Speech

The Central Intelligence Agency has a spy in Afghanastan and needs to get a message to him. They call in another spy and instruct him to go to Afghanastan. They tell the spy that the man he needs to meet up with is named "Abduhl". He lives on the fourth floor of an apt. building.  They encrypt the message on a piece of paper and instruct the spy to mention a secret password before handing over the message. The password...."Birds song fills the sky".

   The spy flies into Afghanstan, and finds the building. He checks the names on the mailboxes, and to his surprise...on the fourth floor....are two "Abduhls"!

The spy decides to try the "Abduhl" whose apt. is closer to the stairway. A man opens the door...The spy whispers.....
"Birds song fills the sky"......The man looks puzzled, then his eyebrows raise with understanding...and he says....."Oh! You must want Abduhl the American spy....he lives at the end of this hall!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------    This morning's news the announcer boasted...."Sources inside State Dept say they know the whereabouts of Bin Laden, but are not sure how they are going to capture him"

      When more than two people are aware of a secret...its no longer a secret!  I would prefer being kept in the dark a little longer...and have all this "knowledge" revealed at the time of his capture!    I am unsettled with this feeling that Justice must wait, till free speech has all of its say.

Peace ...in these uncertain times....Marc

SESAME STREET LIVE!

                               SESAME STREET LIVE!

                               (HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?)

    When my first son Adam was born, my major concern was if I was doing enough for him. As his first months of life rolled along, my list of questions lengthened. "Am I spending enough time with him? Am I feeding him enough? Is he happy enough?" As he grew, the questions continued, "am I reading enough to him? Am I teaching him enough?" The questioning voice within never silenced.

    The year was 1982, Adam was two, and Sesame Street was the hottest show going! The characters faces were plastered everywhere. They were on cereal and cookie boxes. They appeared on clothes, bedding, wallpaper, and dishes. Sesame Street was on every street in America!

    News that a "Live" Sesame Street show would be coming to town quickly spread. The only tickets available were for a Saturday morning in October. October was the height of my busy season, I just could not see myself taking off for this event. I purchased two tickets for the show, one for my wife and the other for my son. My wife was pregnant at the time and was having a very difficult pregnancy. As the day of the show approached, it became apparent that I would be taking my son to the show.  With a certain sense of guilt I called in my absense, and resolved that I would make this day as best as possible.  I can still recall the excitement in the voice of my two year old son as I strapped him in the car seat. The entire ride to the theater he chirpped, "Bert!, Ernie!, Cookie Monster! Big Bird! The Count!". He advised me that he knew these "people" very well!

    We made it to our seats. He was so lost sitting in the auditorium seat. I lifted him up and perched him on my knee, which gave him a great view of the stage, and it gave me, a great view of him! Oh how I enjoyed watching the show through him! His eyes so wide, his joyous smile, his innocent laughter! His tiny nose fixed in the direction of the stage!

    Ninety minutes into the show, all the characters came out on the stage. He had no idea that this was the grand finale. The curtain came down, and the stage was now a scene of silence. No more song, no more laughter, just silence. My son called out for his friends, "Bert!......Ernie!.....Cookie Monster......come back!"  As I got up from my seat, he clung on to me, trembling he asked, "where is the Count?. A soft stream of tears began rolling down his precious cheeks. My heart ached, for there was nothing in my power that could make those characters appear on the stage again. I could feel the footsteps of panic walking through my heart. "They're at home" I blurted out. "All of your friends are waiting for you at home" I told him. He quickly quieted down, he believed me.."O.K. lets go home" he chimed.

    When we got to the house, I ushered him to his room and told him that he would have to wait for the characters to get ready. I ran into the garage and fashioned a large box into a stage. I removed all his Sesame Street Puppets and toys from his toy chest, and I loaded the turntable with Sesame Street records. I called for my son to come into the family room, where I put on my own Sesame Street production just for him! It was worth it, just to see him smile and laugh once again!

    And so it was on that day that I learned one of lifes most valuable lessons, and I was able to stop asking myself that question "am I doing enough?"...because I learned a parents love will have them go to any extreme for their child...when it comes to love...there is no such thing as "enough".

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

A Salute to Walt Disney

Someone mention "amusement parks"?   My mental playback mode is not big enough to retrieve the many wonderful moments spent inside one!  So, I will just leave this photo  here....for this is where it all began! (Photo taken at Disneyland 1955...my first adventure there!)

     I am in awe  of you Mr. Disney. Your creative genious has created more joy in the hearts of people than any other known man made entity!  The sights, the smells, the themes of adventure, hope, friendship, and excitement all woven into a days experience....who could forget a visit to your wonderful place!

 

So, there I was....age 5, ...no mortgage to worry about, no credit card debt, never been love sick, just....a little scared about being alone in the dark.......Funny, No matter what part of life you are in....when you visit Disney....you feel just like that kid!

      Its a small world afterall...............its a small, small world!     Peace & Joy!

Waiting For The Miracle

By definition, a miracle may be defined by the frequency of its appearence.  In other words, something that can happen frequently during a lifetime, no matter how defiant it is to the law of averages, cannot be classified a miracle.

 Therefore:    Finding a soulmate? Not a miracle..............  Winning the lottery? Not a miracle.  .............A person being reunited with a next of kin after 40 years of separation? Not a miracle.

A miracle has very high and strict standards....its a "once in an eternity" type occurance.   

     So, the next time you look in the mirror...STOP!!....and look closer. While you may have a look alike walking around on this planet...there can be no one...exactly like you!  You are the first and last of your kind! Each of you, is a miracle in the scope of eternity!  Look for that certain element that makes you unique in this galaxy of time....and let it sparkle!

I am well aware that since the dawn of man, we have not been able to live in peace (with one stroke, Cain wiped out 1/4 of the worlds' population!).     and so I pray ...and wait,,,for the ultimate miracle.......Peace!

Wishing each of you some measure of this night!    Marc :)

Nightmare Hair

My mind is provoked by this weeks topic of "Nightmare Hair".   Just the mention of that word brings me back to a night...where dreams can come true!............

 

    The Sixties!  I know, you have read about them and seen the TV shows and movies replay them........often overlooked in these epics.....the role that "Hair" played!   

    It started with the Beatles....but soon the standard head groom began changing. Longer sideburns, mustaches, beards blossoming....and then....FRIZZ..... There was Dylan, Sly (from Sly and The family Stone)...and then ...Jimi Hendrix (wow).

For the parents in the sixties....each day they would see their kids making a statement with their hair....in somecases...yes, a nightmare!

           It was on Thanksgiving of 1968 that Jimi Hendrix was performing in a concert at Lincoln Center. (Imagine...Thanksgiving with Jimi and not the family).My mother understood....and so, off I went with my freind and my sister, to this "happening" as we called it.

   Jimi was in his prime that night, performing flawlessly, spellbinding the sellout crowd. We left the concert in a "purple haze".        We exited the center, and got into the car and pulled into the frozen traffic.

   We were making our way down a street when a limo emerged from an underground parking lot and pulled in front of us. As I stared into the rear window and pondered who the party of wealth might be.... a politican, an actor, or maybe, a rock star....a beam of light entered the limo...and revealed that the person sitting in the back seat had a huge Afro!   "IT'S JIMI" I screamed at the top of my lungs..."JIMI HENDRIX IS IN THE LIMO IN FRONT OF US"!!!!.......I ordered my friend to stay on the cars bumper....."we're gonna follow him til he gets out" I exclaimed. 

and so the great car chase began...... The limo zipped through the heavy N.Y.C. traffic....even running red lights.....we stayed right with it...the thought of meeting my idol ruled out any fear from this  car scene chase!

After a mile the limo pulled over to the side....I could see it was stopping at the Statler Hilton Hotel...I instructed my friend to pull in front of the limo.....I jumped out of the car with the program guide and a pencil in my hand, my heart in my throat........Jimi had exited the limo and was entering the turnstyle doors............I caught up with him......and grabbed hold of the door handle.....freezing him in the middle!   He turned..  He saw me, smiled and winked. I let loose of the door and he stepped into the lobby, me right behind.  As he turned, I had to duck out of the way of his huge head of hair, teased far out enough to cover three heads! I handed him the program guide to sign...he asked me "Did you like the show?"   I moved my heart from my throat to answer back  "I loved it...you were fabulous ..you are the best"......smoothly..ever so smoothly he replied..."good..I am glad you liked it.....Peace brother"...and he vanished in the lobby's crowd....distinguished by that large Afro that moved above the crowd as a sharks fin looms above the water.

Hair......in the sixties, an extension of  ourpersonality....we used it to make a statement about who we were.   It was our "I.D". Card.......   

   So many years have passed since that night...I confess to re living each moment of it many times over!  And now I muse...how.... One nightmare hair-do......made a young boys dream come true!

just wish..I still had my head with all its hair!

Peace ya all!   M :)