Friday, July 2nd, 2004: A Hole In the World

Still in Manhattan, listening to WBAI on little yellow and blue radio that looks like a toy. Took notes on Amy Goodman. One of my favorite authors, Jonathan Schell was on, about a new book called A Hole In the World. He is always great. I thought his Unconquerable World was the valedictorian statement for the human race at this time, a brilliant work. During the course of the interview, he said there were plenty of good reasons for the Afghani War, but they weren’t the real reason we were fighting. He was against it anyway, because of what it was being used to accomplish, and reasons it was launched. The Onion had some great stories: Reagan’s Pyramid Finally Being Completed. US Citizens Found Unable to Govern Themselves. And an editorial, “Things I Shouldn’t Be Saying.”

I did a peacemaking ceremony and burned all the heart-cleansing tobacco from the Open Center class, in a bowl on the window sill, then placed the ashes in the same flowerbed as before. I walked around in the hot sun, getting exercise. Then I got my luggage and headed for Grand Central. We were delayed by a few minutes, so when I got out of the SS shuttle far beneath Grand Central there was only one minute left before the Metro train was scheduled to depart. I’d never make it, unless the train was late.

Train traffic was heavy. Everyone had seen Cheney visit the city just before July 4th, and he’s always an omen of bad luck. Armed guards were on every street corner, and they all wondered if there was going to be another terror attack. It was code orange, if not red. So that’s why I was late. Too many people trying to leave the city. Anyway, I ruefully walk towards the gate, then I turn and I see my favorite underground rock star, Chocolate Thai, standing in the doorway of the shuttle train car, wearing his trademark “Cooley” hat.

I turned and walked towards him. I’d never make that Metro train, and what was more important? Getting home or talking to Chocolate Thai, my favorite underground rock star? I yelled out, “Hey Chocolate!” Talk about connectivity. CT is an inspiration to the whole New York City non-violence “pissed off voters” movement. His light can be seen and felt for miles. If you want his CD email him at jbclarke1@yahoo.com. For an MP go to http://www.biirzaak.com. Or call (646)246-4092.

He waved. I came up and shook his hand. He went into the subway car to talk to Jubilee, his wife. I said, “Hey, where’s your CD?” He had some in his hands. I took one said, “How much?” He said, “They’re only ten!” I gave him ten and talked about our planned interview. I asked him about his experiences at Virgin and with MJJ records, run by Michael Jackson. Both deals had gone sour. He invited me to a July 15th concert at Lincoln Center. I said I’d see. He was standing in the door, while the speaker said, “Shuttle to Times Square. Next stop Times Square. Please do not block the doors. We said a few more hurried words, I kissed the CD and shook his hand one more time, gently blocking the doors, all of our exchanges as if accelerated by a fast forward button being pushed somewhere by an impatient train conductor. I had just been thinking about him the day before. I was thinking, “Yeah, he really does sound like Sam Cook, like they say.”

Then the doors closed and I walked away. Since my Metro train home was long gone, I took the 6 to Spring Street and went to the Open Center to pick up my books from the book store. It turns out they were all sold!!! There had been a lot of books on those shelves and now there were just two copies of Secrets of Wholehearted Thinking! Amazing! I went outside and bought some DVDs on the street, and then back to Grand Central, a strange trip. I made the next train, but it was scheduled to leave later than the others, so I waited more. Too much time to wait but not enough time to do anything else. I boarded the train very early because of this, and it was a good thing, because the train was packed. The man in the next seat forward had a white dog who took the last seat on the train.

Maybe WBAI would like Chocolate’s CD too. I told Tiokasin about the legendary Micmac Willie Dunn yesterday. He said for me to have him send copies of his CDs to BAI. Willie Dunn’s CDs are great. He’s at wdunn_singer@hotmail.com

I picked up my computer at NJM, my computer wizards, who never fail me, and brought it home. I got messages, including a very sad one from Linda Law. Our funding proposal to overhaul the educational system was rejected. I will report more later when I learn what really happened. I talked to my son and typed up July 1 and 2. I read July 1 to my son, which is somewhat “cinematic,” or at least reminiscent of West Wing.