Peace, Love, Traffic, and thank you Jones Memorial
By Chuck Wiser I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
As I put my thoughts together for starting this week’s Wramblings, I already had a full list of topics to write about. As soon as I saw my note about this last Sunday’s Peace, Love and Tie Dye concert, all of the rest of my items got pushed down and completely off my page of “intended” topics as the memories came flooding back.
I have attended similar events as a spectator or as a participator, but never before both. It was with much extreme pleasure to have been a part of both.
The Friday leading into the weekend I was taken over by a bout of severe Vertigo and spent nearly the whole day flat on my back in bed, not able to get up easily or safely. The next morning I checked into JMH ER. From there I was admitted for an overnight stay and was released Sunday mid-morning. I had advised Dave Toot that it was unlikely that I would be able to attend Sunday’s service and the concert. I was able to join the Grace Choir for the 1:30 PM program run-through and was so warmly welcomed by the choir, not expecting me, that my heart started to fill.
Most of the particulars of the concert have already been mentioned so I would just like to add some insider information and would become a “name dropper” to mention some, with whom I share a personal friendship and music affiliation.
Not previously mentioned where I have noticed, was the bass player, Jim Keough, who performed for the most part in the background playing a pulsing bass beat that alone would start a musician tapping their foot in synchronicity. Jim played back-up for many of the performers and song groups.
I first met Jim as the vocal musical director at Scio Central School way back in the 70’s when my children attended there. When the Genesee Valley Chorus performed under the direction of Tony Cappadonia, Jim was invited to play bass accompaniment for the group, including its musical visit to the Concord Resort at Kiamesha Lake in the Catskills where we performed for about 2000 music student attendees at NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association).
Jim now is associated with various musical groups that perform at the Palmer Opera House in Cuba, NY and at their various performance venues. A major role player component and promotional coordinator individual of The Palmer Opera House is Annette (Nettie) White who organizes and coordinates the entertainment provided. Nettie is a personal friend and also colleague at Grace United, singing with and often directing the church choir.
I hesitate to start naming names but apologetically will mention those I know personally hoping that I don’t leave some out. Tom Kailbourn, was one of the musicians and also controls the sound equipment at Grace United; Jim Knapp, pianist and organist at Grace United, who surprised me as one of the vocalists with a group, also plays accompaniment for the church choir. I won’t mention where I also often see Jim as he fulfills other positions or responsibility elsewhere; GD (Dave) Toot was another key role player, not only as a performer with one of the groups Sunday but also a senior member of the Grace United staff and also the musical director. Nettie and Dave teamed to design, organize and coordinate the entire event, which was born as a dream idea of Nettie.
There are so many people that were in the background and foreground of the entirety of the Sunday performance of Peace, Love & Tie Dye who deserve to be recognized but can’t be. I don’t have a composite listing or recollection of all the performers, and too many to recall or mention, but they are now all in the minds and hearts of all others who witnessed or lived it, and especially in mine. My heart is as close to being fully filled as it ever will be.
Not sure who, or what, is involved in the planning of road sign locations but the entrance signs noting “Wrong Way” are angled such that they look like the “right” way is not correct. It seems like they should be able to post a sign as your last sighting as to what is going off to the exit (right side) and what the continuing direction is either as a different road or the opposite direction on the road you are accessing. I can see where “Cognitively challenged” people would not be able to select the proper direction. I guess I can also see where that parallels with recent politics.
Along the same theme of driving and traffic, it continues to amaze me of how many do not realize that most intersections, unless noted otherwise, allow stopping and then making the right turn. I’m not even going to go into the near opposite of not stopping before making the right turn. I guess it’s rather rude to honk your horn at the driver ahead of you not making the turn after stopping, if oncoming traffic allows.
I interrupt myself to insert a happy moment herein. The other morning, I found one of my prized earrings, which had apparently come out while sleeping, laying on my pillow. The backing was missing, of course, so I wrapped it in a piece of tissue and placed it in my pocket. This morning when I went to put my earring back in, I went looking for it. Having checked everywhere it could have hidden itself from me, I mentioned it to my wife and asked her to keep a look-out for it. She started doing laundry today which is why I made it a point to put her on watch. She just came up from the laundry room with an armful of laundry under one arm and the other with clenched hand hanging at her side. She asked…Guess what I found? Then handed me the earring saying it fell out of the pile of clothes recently pulled from the dryer and falling into the laundry basket. I thanked her and noted how clean it looked.
Merging back into traffic; I guess the people that changed the YIELD sign at the end of my road to a STOP sign didn’t realize just how long it would take for people to recognize that, and learn that the road now terminates with a Stop sign. At a minimum, I see many people that don’t even slow down before hitting Rte. 31. Numerous examples of “rolling stops,” and some that seem to be taking a nap before exiting can be seen daily.
Living across from the Scio Town and Allegany County Gravel storage lot offers many amusing minutes of entertainment, not counting the “after dark shenanigans.” It is amazing to find so many discreet, and not so discreet ways of casually taking a leak next to the car or truck. I will see them pull up and pull it out, many times. Some are very casual and innocent looking, getting out beside the left open door and unzipping, glancing around to make sure no one is able to see them, except me of course. Yesterday presented a “two-fer” as front seat participants on both sides exited their sides respectively, respectfully innocent looking, and helped to moisten the gravel storage lot. I assume they were just helping to keep the dust down. Unfortunately it doesn’t aide the Donut circling, wheels spinning drivers, that create a cloud of dust. I am envious of my “across the street neighbors” getting that dust deposit on the south side of their houses.
One last topic and then I will close with another “Thank You” message to the many involved with me this past weekend.
When an automobile damage repair shop replaces body parts it is nearly impossible, despite all the computerized photo imaging and color matching programs, to get a perfect blend of adjacent colors, tints and tones. Some get very, very close but I have yet to see any get a perfect match. Technically, “perfect” is too strong a term to use, as “perfect” is not possible. Painting a whole side or section would be the closest reachable solution but that seldom happens. A fender, quarter panel or section just doesn’t reach an un-noticeable blend.
And now I leave you with a reach-out to Jones Memorial Hospital (JMH) nurses, doctors and staff for their gracious hospitality during my weekend stay at their facility. Lots of new areas and features at that institution, some not necessarily user friendly, but the staff was. The following poem was initially written for the nurses at Cole Memorial in Coudersport but is now applied to the entire spectrum of medical caregivers at JMH. They all are “Now Like Rainbows.”
Thank you to all who had a part or played a role in making this weekend such a wonderful show of love, passion and generosity, whether it be in the form of sharing their talent, energy, wisdom, or even just their appreciation. The middle word of the poster heading above says it all. LOVE!
