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A Cool Night In December
US btfn a little more than an hour since they announced the
news. C*n It be possible? A feeling of numbness and nausea
fills me. Mv friend is gone.
I'm reflecting now. It aJl sUrted in 19S5 when he met Paul
McCartney. In I%1, their manager told Decca records that
“One day these boys will be bigger than Elvis Presley.” In late
1%2, they made their first record. A year later they had the top
Iwo albums, three I.P‘s, and the top three singles.
He and Paul and George and Rmgo had little faith In their
ability to breaJi the U.S. record charts. They need not have
worried.
They sold more singles in the first three of months of 1964 than
all the other recording artists combined. Three of the top five
albums and fourteen of the top one hundred singles had the
groups name on them.
Their disarming style and antics captured people of all ages.
They succeeded, as one reviewer put it, “because moms and
dads liked them.” They left the teeny-boppers behind with
“Revolver,” then stunned the rock world with the astonishing
“Sgt. Pepper.”
He met an Oriental woman who became his infamous wife. He
and Paul had come to a parting of the ways as a songwriting
team, and that separation was reflected in (heir music.
He and his friends recorded "Abbey Road” in late 1969; It was
their last and arguably their finest effort. Shortly afterward, he
told Paul: “I want a divorce.” Paul made the dissolution official
in April 10, 1970.
He was on his own. His solo efforts drew praise and criticism,
more often the latter. Because of his polities, the Nixon
administration tried to have him run out of the country; it failed.
He went into seclusion because it was important for him to be
with his son.
Several years later, he returned with an album and a single,
both successes. Then somebody decided that he didn't have the
right to live.
Paul McCartney transformed the ideas into commercial
acceptability, but HE was the innovator of the group.
When the Beatles broke up, he said that “the dream is over."
He was wrong, of course. Numbers such as twenty number one
singles and fourteen number one albums in seven years wouldn’t
let it die.
There won't be much sleep tonight, so I think I’ll put on “Sgt,
Pepper” and “Rubber Soul.” Thanks for the memories, John
Lennon, The “dream” will never die. You made sure of that.
As ! sit down, 1 think about
Christmas, that joyful time of
the year. Actually, that doesn t
sound really too unusual, does
it? After all, it’s now the middle
of December and the 25th is
only days away.
Anywhere you go, you see
reminders that it's the Christ
mas season. There are Santa
Claus's in all the shopping
malls, there are ornamented
Christmas trees virtually every
where, wreaths are on the
doors, and best of all— presents
are coming! That, is what
Christmas is all about! The joy
and fun of opening presents and
checking stockings on Christ
mas morning is what we
treasure so much. We just can’t
wait for the "unusually long”
Christmas Eve night to be over
with so that we can rush out to
the tree and see if Santa Claus
has brought us all the gifts that
we wanted. Oh, how the true
spirit of Christmas sweeps the
nation and the world!
"'Twas the night before
Christmas, and all through the
house, not a creature was
stirring, not even a mouse. All
the stockings were hung by the
chimney with care, in the hopes
that St. Nicholas soon would be
there,” For some reason it just
doesn’t have that usual heart
warming ring of past years.
What’s wrong? There’s got to
be more to it than that. I
remember when 1 was a kid,
that was it, that was what I
needed, that was what I so
excitedly looked forward to
every year. Now though, that
1 m older, that “traditional”
Christmas story just doesn’t
fulfill me anymore. There has
got to be some chapters missing
from the story. In fact, even
that doesn’t satisfy me. It’s
all wrong, 1 can just sense it.
What’s missing? 1 keep asking
myself that same question over
and over again. No answer
comes to my mind. 1 can’t think
in here. I’d better go outside.
IVlaybe the cool, crisp December
air will clear the cobwebs from
my mind and enable me to find
out what I’m searching for. 1
walk around through the neigh
borhood looking at all the color
ful Christmas lights and the
houses with the candles in the
windows. They’re all beautiful,
but what do they mean? I keep
on walking and soon stroll past
‘■Rudolph the Red-nosed Rein
deer” in someone’s frontyard.
Oh, what a hero! He saved the
world you know? Remember, a
few years ago his bright nose
enabled Santa to see through a
snowstorm, and thus deliver his
presents to all the people of the
world. Wow,
what a feat! Maybe thoughts
like this are what I need to put
the “Christmas spirit” back into
me. But even Rudolph doesn’t
give me that usual zing any
more! What’s wrong w'ith me
this year!?! I keep on walking
and soon find myself in the busy
part of town. Man, does this
place buzz at night! Everyone
around me is so happy. Why
can’t I feel the same happiness
that the others feel? I feel down
and out, like an outsider. I read
a sign on a store window,
“MERRY X-MAS.” I walk on.
But then 1 stop. What is this
“x-MAS” stuff anyway? I
thought this 1
Oinsfr,
season. There’s
, , , . — The "r
shouldnt^--' *
out something, 1,
wrong with that sign ’
.h.niHn’t be there, Ifsfc
—' “'--thing, 1 can sejsj
They’re marking the lenen
H, R, I, S, andlomofthew.
“Christmas.” Why’
ment fills me, then
running down the sidevan Tv ^
got togetbackhoroe,
faintly hear the songs
Bells” and "Frosty the Siy; ,
man” in the distance. Viif, '
What does Frosty, Rudolpi,,'^ i
even Santa have to v,i4 .
anyhow? I’m beginning to
now, so 1 stop in j quiet cone |
of town and sit down, rtmou;,
confused. 1 don't know »hi,;
think anymore. 1 .
many years ago my grandfath* j
told me something. It ; 1
story of some sort:
"And there were in the sac-1
country shepherds abiding
the field, keeping watch
their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of theIc
came upon them, and the gi;
of the Lord shone round ilw
them: and they weresotejfiK
And the angel said umo ibet
Fear not: for, behold, 1 te;
you good tidings of gte« ji;
which shall be to all people.
For unto you is botnikisfc
in the city of David a Sa™
which is Christ the Lord."
Why are my granddad's w.:
going through my mind’ fr
beginning to feel ven'm
fighting to stay awake. ItV
use, 1 can’t hold it back u
longer. I'm so weary. Itiea:
bell toll as I fall off intt
peaceful rest.
Keith Waters
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