...Space age folk song

"Single Man In a Crowd"
("The Wheel")

...Gableplunk hung his guitar on the wall. Snow fell in light flurries. The wind swirled outside his windows. People scurried in the park across the street shielding their faces to avoid the stings of wind-whipped snow. He stood by the window and gazed out absent-mindedly. Abstractly, the world was white and cold until he touched the windowpane. The contrast became substantial. The room was warm and sensuously pleasant.
......Man alone and yet not alone. What are the thin strands that attach him to other men? Fine filaments weave a gossamer web whose strength exceeds the imagination and whose frailty can too easily become apparent. I'm here and you're there. What do we share? We literally pass through each other, feel each other's existence, know it to be true and are unable to merge, unable to exist but for a moment in the same moment. The strands are thin. They're often transparent, seemingly non-existent. When they vanish we feel alone. When they appear and glow red they become blood vessels carrying life fluids between us. By these strands are life and love and information exchanged. The web extends into infinity and all who are substantially attached or have knowledge or memory of attachment are part of this infinite hub or center. At each appearance of the strands- the paths of communication, the new incarnations- each man plugs into the flow and is filled with the latest information. There's only the message: take part. Each taking part becomes part of this center and each individual may then draw upon it. Each contribution becomes part of both and part of the next. The center continues. The red strands again become transparent and disappear. The man, too, disappears into the non-existence of space and timelessness, taking with him all the life and love and information of his momentary incarnation. And he's free to return with the coming of the need. With his return, he brings new life and love and information, his gifts to us, his children, who have yet to be filled with his newness. We're children to the traveler who's seen new lands and brings news of the future. With his newness we grow and our capability to grow grows. We all take part. We appear for a time and disappear to appear again at a different moment. And we've knowledge of the taking part and the knowledge is called consciousness and the taking part is called loving and the knowledge of the taking part is love.
...Days were shorter. Light faded and street lamps blinked on. The winds and snow ceased. The stars appeared.
......How perfect are the stars at a distance. Would they seem so perfectly serene as distance diminished? How dense is dense? What's the ultimate intensity?
...Gableplunk felt the stars' energies. Turbulence existed everywhere. To the star gazer in a moment of calm the stars may be taken as a measure of benevolence. It's not so. The stars drew him and Gableplunk flowed outward.
......I'm the sun- the source of life- and I'm the black hole in space. I'm many times greater than the sun and am drawn and collapsing to the smallest diameter and the greatest density. My strength is so great that not even light can escape me. Thus you cannot see me. I'm hidden and may only be detected in secret ways. I'm the web and I'm the strands that bind and I'm the wheel, the mighty wheel spinning in the void; all life and death is mine and I'm the eternal one. From me are the suns born and within me do they shrink and die. I travel too fast for men to see or too slow and am overlooked. I'm the great noon tide- the wave of eternity; it's in me where men will find their destiny. I'm the wheel and I'm all men and I'm all suns and the solar rays and the moon and its reflections. I'm all there is and all there was and all there will be. I'm the wheel and I'm Man and I'm my own destiny.
...The stars smiled. Gableplunk appeared at the window, guitar in hand, refreshed with an affirmed sense of independence within the interdependency of all things timeless.
......We're all three: tension, seeking and meditation, coexisting, part of the balance. What's balance? Forces in action against each other, strife, anxiety.
......What do we seek? Peace, yet all endeavor that takes us away from direct experience may be a drawing back from the world, a repulsion we feel when the world isn't as we wish. Even romanticism, the seeking of an ideal, may be denial of the actual. It's a paradox. We seek peace as release and in the seeking we strive for change. In the striving we declare war. In the fighting we create that from which we're seeking release. This is the wheel of illusion: Maya, the endless cycle creating itself.
......How can we find release? Stop seeking. Stop fighting.
......Why fight? Why maintain opposition? Am I against the world? Fighting's lonely. Like the circle, half black, half white, it divides me, yet in the T'ai-ki, white has an element of black and black an element of white. They're different, yet they have elements of each other. In opposition, these resemblances, this being part of each other is eradicated. We see only differences and we're divided. Here lies the greatest addiction, the greatest loneliness, the greatest delusion and the longest war. It robs us of our freedom.
......We may define ourselves, poorly, in its terms: I'm a conservative because I oppose radical change; I'm a liberal because I oppose conservatives; I'm a Jew because I oppose the New Testament; I'm a Christian because I oppose the Old Testament; I'm a Moslem because I oppose both the New and the Old Testaments; I'm a man because I'm not a woman; I'm a human being because I'm not greater than my limitations; I'm me since I'm not you; I'm not! And when I'm not, I'm alone.
...Gableplunk sang

"My Great Enemy"

...Jack telephoned. Gableplunk was surprised. They exchanged cordialities and Jack invited him to be his guest at a club where he was playing. Gableplunk agreed.
...He arrived at the address at midnight. After giving his name to the doorman, he was led to a table near the side of the stage. The club was cavernous. Three huge chandeliers twinkled dimly in the darkness high above the floor. Hordes of people crowded the dance floor and the surrounding tables. Jack's band was playing. Spotlights beamed on the musicians. Colored lights pulsed in time to the music. Jack peered through the glare in Gableplunk's direction. He recognized him and nodded, then signaled to the other players. The music changed. They played into an introduction and one of Gableplunk's songs. He was surprised. He listened to the music and changes in the arrangement.
...They played other songs that Gableplunk had written. He was delighted. He hadn't realized how band instrumentation would sound. The music was full. It blended with the vocals and presented a rich flow of sounds.
...Musicians from the alternate band came on stage. The music softened. Jack spoke through the house sound system. He introduced them and turned the mic over to their lead man. The other musicians played into prearranged music. Jack and his friends walked to the rear of the stage and dropped downstairs to the dressing rooms. The music continued.
...Jack appeared minutes later. He walked to Gableplunk's table and sat down.
..."A small club?" Gableplunk asked.
...Jack grinned. "We rehearsed your songs on the road. This is the first time we played them in public. I'm glad you could come. How'd you like them?"
..."You changed the arrangements in places and added vocal harmonies. I didn't dream how much richer songs could sound with a full arrangement. Your bassist and drummer played rhythms I couldn't have imagined. I'm pleased and amazed.., and exhilarated!"
..."I'm glad you liked our productions. We have forty minutes until the next show. Come on backstage. I'll introduce you to the others."
..."Who's the man at the electronic panel at the rear of the stage?"
..."He's our sound and wire man. Tonight he's engineering for the other band, too. You'll meet him later."
...Gableplunk followed Jack into a dark corridor. Turning a corner, he saw light from a crack under the door at the end. A man stopped them. Recognizing Jack, he let them enter.
...Instruments and clothing were scattered on chairs and open trunks in the softly-lit dressing room. Chairs stood in front of mirrors covering the far wall. The stage music was muffled. A radio played in the corner. Bright sequined costumes hung near the mirrors. "We change costumes for every show," Jack said. By the mirrors, a woman was brushing a man's hair. A man and woman sat in the far corner, talking in low voices. Others lounged on couches. They all looked towards the door as Jack and Gableplunk entered. Jack announced him and introduced each of the musicians- four men including Jack, and one woman.
...Jack motioned to Gableplunk. They moved to a table near the stage doors. Nick the bassist joined them. He brought bottles and a cooler of ice cubes. Jack found glasses and poured a toast to Gableplunk's success as a writer. The smell of smoke hung in the air.
..."I hear horns on stage," Gableplunk said. "Are your men playing with the other band?"
..."House rules required ten pieces," Jack said. "We picked up sidemen, and a woman, a sax player, at the union hall. They're playing with both bands tonight. Double wages. Very profitable. Very exhausting. They eat honey and drink all night to keep the pace."
...Nick asked Gableplunk what he thought of their arrangements. Alice joined them. She sang and played keyboards. Raoul the drummer went back to sleep. Second guitar, Bob, was sulking in the corner. He'd had an argument with their manager.
...They talked briefly about their music and managers, the agents who'd booked them in the city, their road trips and individual writing styles. Time was short. Jack left to change, then returned. Alice changed and laughed as Nick watched her and made funny faces. She returned to the table. Nick vanished for a time. He liked to stand at the rear of the stage to pick up the feel of the audience before going on.
..."Come on with us and sing your songs," Jack said to Gableplunk. He named four or five songs that Gableplunk had written. "We kept your original arrangements. You wouldn't be lost."
...Gableplunk was surprised, embarrassed and a bit frightened. "I've never been on a stage before. I might make mistakes or forget the lyrics and embarrass everyone."
...Alice and Jack, both vocalists, laughed. "It wouldn't be the first time," she said.
..."Come out and play your harmonica," Jack said. "I won't introduce you. You can use the mic near the amplifiers, stage center-right. You won't hear yourself unless you play loudly. It'll help you overcome stage fright. We have all the harmonicas you need and extra costumes. None of us have any communicable diseases. Hurry up and change. We're on in five minutes."
...Alice held his arm and directed him to a trunk. Jack woke Raoul. He pointed to the new man changing near the mirrors. Walking next to each other, they spoke in low voices. Bob opened the stage doors. Music swelled into the room. Nick appeared. He gestured to Gableplunk to put his pants on and follow him. Alice rummaged through a trunk and found shoes. He slipped them on and was ready.
...They walked on stage and played into the next prearranged score. The other band went off. Jack gave the horn men a break and they disappeared behind curtains.
...Gableplunk was nervous. He whispered, "What key?" The people in the audience didn't seem to notice. Jack, Nick or Alice sang alternate leads. Nick and Bob sang tenor, Jack baritone and Alice alto. Raoul disliked singing. He felt that it interfered with the subtleties of his drumming, though when Jack played intricate passages, he filled in with bass or baritone vocals.
...They played through a number. The horn men returned and took positions in front of the three mics between Alice and Raoul. Gableplunk began to get the feel of the band. He listened to the first bars of the next song, understood them and tentatively slipped in a riff. It sounded fine. Alice waved between syncopations. Bob smiled and nodded. Jack signaled to the man at the sound panel. The electronic effects and dynamics changed. Gableplunk's mic became louder.
...They played other numbers. Gableplunk's confidence grew. His self-consciousness diminished. He was having a good time.
...A hand tapped his shoulder. He turned. Appearing over the top of one of the amplifiers, the hand pointed to a glass filled with a bubbling liquid. Gableplunk tasted it during Alice's synth solo. It was champagne. He looked across the stage. Champagne glasses had appeared on the keyboards and on a stool near Raoul's drums. They were all having a good time.
...Bob sang. Jack walked behind him to Gableplunk.
..."Sing one," he said.
...Gableplunk's nervousness returned. His excitement was stronger. "All right. Which one?"
..."The one you sang in the park. It's simple and lively and we all know it. Here's a neck stand. Use my guitar and the center mic. I'll use my other guitar. We'll modulate into your key and harmonica introduction at the end of this song."
...Jack snapped off his guitar strap and handed the instrument to Gableplunk. "You play straight rhythm. Bob'll syncopate. Have you seen the triangle?"
..."On the bench," Bob said,"near the chimes. Watch out for the wires," he said to Gableplunk, "when you cross the stage."
...Gableplunk reached the center mic. Jack signaled the sound man. Alice winked. Nick's back was turned. He got the signal for the modulations from Alice; Bob followed with upbeat chops; Raoul stood up and did a strange dance, tapping out a rhythm on his mic. Gableplunk did a barre slide into the intro; soon he was singing! The excitement was fantastic! His face flushed. The song led into another. A few words from Jack launched an improvised key change. Alice played extended chords to give greater latitude to Nick on bass. Raoul could play through anything.
...Gableplunk sang each of five songs that Jack called off. The horn men were clapping, playing wood blocks, drinking and pursing their lips. They were relieved to get another break and used it to advantage.
...Gableplunk finished his last song. Alice signaled and the band slid into an endless modulation, each second chord played a little more quietly than the last. Jack signaled the sound man and moved to the center of the stage. He announced Gableplunk to the people listening and dancing. Many clapped.
..."They like you," Nick said.
...The other band came out. The music softened to be almost inaudible, then after they exchanged places, began its rise in dynamics. As quickly as they had come on, they were off. Gableplunk dropped down the stairs to the dressing rooms.
...Raoul closed the doors behind them, had a drink, slapped Gableplunk's shoulder, congratulated him and went to sleep on a couch. Alice sat near the mirrors and the make-up woman wiped her face. Nick washed. He changed to a new costume. Alice whistled. Nick poured a drink and lay on the couch. The woman to whom Bob was talking earlier appeared from another doorway. She saw Bob at the table with Jack and Gableplunk and grasped Nick's wrist. She pulled him from the couch into the room she'd come from. Alice swiveled her chair and the make-up woman brushed her hair. She faced the table to listen to the conversation.
..."Well?" Jack asked Gableplunk.
..."Exciting! More. Exhilarating! Blood's rushing in my neck! I can hear it; my heart's pounding!"
...Bob laughed. He poured from the last champagne bottle. "Have to get more," he muttered.
..."Bravo! Bravo!" Alice shouted from the make-up chair.
...Gableplunk laughed. He gulped the champagne. "It was incredible... the most exciting experience I've ever had!"
...Jack leaned back to relax and Gableplunk talked to Bob about the mics and sound system. Samuel was the man at the mixing panel, their advisor on sound considerations. Sometimes he overlooked and made suggestions to the engineers at the studios when they were fortunate enough to stir the interests of independent producers for recordings. So far they hadn't had a song on the national charts.
...Alice joined them at the table.
..."Have you written," Jack asked, "since our meeting in the fall?"
..."Yes," Gableplunk answered. "I have some excellent love songs and strange.....perhaps mystical ones."
..."Good. We could use some of them if you'll allow us."
..."Yes. Of course."
..."Some of our friends would like to meet you."
..."About my songs? Your friends may use them if they wish."
..."No, not that. Our manager and producers."
..."Manager? Producers?"
..."Yes."
..."Bob and Raoul are leaving in the spring," Alice said.
..."They've contracted to tour with another band," Jack added. "We'll be reorganizing the band nucleus and we'd like you to join us. Bob's agreed to rehearse with you for a week or so to familiarize you with our material and routines."
..."We haven't found a replacement for Raoul yet," Alice said.
..."We have three months," Jack said. "Then we'll go on the road again to tighten up and work in new material."
...Gableplunk had been silent. He searched within and didn't know whether he wanted to join them. He liked each of them. Their offer was sudden. Gableplunk was unprepared and needed time to consider.
..."I don't know," he said. "Do you really think I'd fit in? Am I good enough?"
..."Yes," Jack said. "Only Alice, Nick and I'll be left. We think you'll fit in fine. It'll be hard work. You write, something Bob and Raoul have never done; it'll be helpful. Bob plays more fluently than you. He's agreed to help you learn the rhythms he knows if you don't already feel them. Technically you're knowledgeable. The rigidity you feel now'll smooth out as you gain confidence and experience. You'll have to learn to play a little bass. Nick can't play and sing at the same time but he has a good voice so when he sings we'll need you to play his bass parts. This'll be easy for you. Check out the web site of a friend of mine who wrote a Rock Bass manual. Practice some of the scalar material on your guitar at home. You'll have the basics down in a few days."
..."Yes," Alice said. "Try it. Don't let the opportunity pass. We've contracted for a two-month tour. Take the time until we return to consider it. In the meantime we'll find a replacement for Raoul."
..."You have nothing to lose," Bob said, "and a lot to gain. If it doesn't work, don't be afraid of humiliation. I've been rejected as many times as I've been accepted. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. There're more facets than technical abilities."
..."Yes," Jack said. "Take your time. Consider it and give us your answer in two months. Rehearsals'll begin immediately on our return. You can meet our manager then. He'll travel with us on this trip. Our producers'll want to meet you before any recording sessions."
...Gableplunk told Jack and Alice that he'd consider their offer. He agreed to give them his answer on their return or sooner. Nick joined them. Alice's eyebrows raised. An amused smile changed into a grin. Nick grinned back. His eyebrows raised and he moved his head slightly in an inviting gesture.
..."You're sweet," Alice said. She reached and pinched Nick's cheek.
..."Would you give us a tour schedule, Nick?" She turned to Gableplunk and said, "Send us a telegram at any of these locations if you decide sooner."
..."If you decide not to join us," Jack said, "sing in cafes around the city. I know some people who'd be glad to have you. Your songs should be shared, not hidden away or forgotten."
...They ordered more wine and partied. Road managers and friends joined them backstage after clearing with the doorman.
...The club closed late in the morning. Twenty or thirty people crossed the snow into cars. They rode to hotel rooms. The party continued. Gableplunk found an empty armchair. It'd be hours until the party would dwindle. People swirled around him, laughing. Someone was crying. He sat deep in thought but couldn't reach a decision. Their offer was unexpected, challenging, yet something was holding him back. He'd been isolated for years. It'd be a great change. With the possibility of change came a flood of apprehensions and little fears. With the possibility came the yearning to join, to take the opportunity. After saying good-bye he left the party. He needed to be alone, to think and sort out his confusion. The cold night was energizing; the snow clean and beautiful. It calmed him. He walked across and downtown to his apartment. Snow clouds cleared. Stars twinkled and vanished as the deep night passed into early dawn.
......How is it to take part? It's difficult and there's much I have to learn. Isolated in my own world, I haven't had to battle to preserve myself. What's to be preserved? What's weak is that which seeks to preserve itself. It's doomed to failure. The world may envelope me in its tensions. Am I not enveloped in tensions of my own? Aren't they similar? I'm no longer unable to understand and contend with them. I've values of my own and the strength to bend without losing myself. I've meditated and loved and gained in substance and now I must extend myself. Love's current is life. My love must go forth. My love must be tested and made greater and I must take part in the best ways I know.
...Gableplunk reached his door. He climbed the steps to the second floor. It was warm inside. He let his coat drop and took his guitar from the wall. Standing at a window, he watched the first rays of the morning light flood the courtyard below. With light pick strokes he strummed and sang

"The River"