Airline food and delays, oversized luggage and cramped aisle seats. The longhaul to the left coast was unremarkable. Once I disembark and rattle my bones, nothing too out of alignment, then jet lag is easy. Picked up and brought to the Mission District for arrival beer and a chillie relleno burrito Californiaised me immediately.
Staying with Nello’s rellos in San Rafael, Dawn and Ken made me feel right at home. Here is a picture of this little slice of Marin County paradise.
There was magic in the air….hummingbirds too.
Stress-free stay with old and now new friends. On our first full day, Dawn, Ken, Nello and Mark and I took a 10KM walk from Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach. There were no banjos in the Valley and only one surfboard on the beach.
California. The vibes, the weather, the outdoors were all turned up to 10.
Nello and Kenny decided to go in for a quick dip. My feet and toes decided for me so I sat on a log, cleared the sand and repositioned my feet in my Converse. There was a bit of a commotion as I saw someone walking towards Nello and words of greeting. From my distance, I assumed it might have been someone he met here on another stay or (on the outside chance) someone he knew from growing up in America.
The reality was soon to blow my mind. Walking towards me was someone calling out, “Buschie!” I took stock of this person and realised it was Declan Kelly. Now Mr. Kelly is a drummer, singer and downright righteous human being. He also plays drums in Australia’s premier reggae band, King Tide. With only about 25 people on the beach, his group of friends and ours made up close to ½ of the population. There might have been a few seals in the water but they were lying low.
Declan was on tour with Bobby Alu and everyone was in fine spirits.
We all agreed to mark this major synchronicity we should go to the Pelican Inn, an English-style pub located just nearby, for a celebratory ale.
Beers were had, conversation flowed, and we all shook our heads at the wonders that life can offer up.
Music…there was music in the air…sweet soul music. Bobby got out his bass uke and here is what happened. Time stood still, people in the pub had their jaws dropped as their phones captured the moment…. and I shed a tear or 3 of pure joy. My face hurt from smiling, and I may have pulled a cheek muscle.
These are the moments that show me the beauty and the love and the ability of music to bring a room together. There were no tickets, no cover at the door, just some excellent humans doing what they do in the bloody moment.
There were more synchronicities. A couple were in the bar from a small town that Ken and Dawn knew. I asked a couple if they heard the music, but they had missed it. We exchanged pleasantries, and I mentioned I was originally from Long Island.
“What part of Long Island?”, one woman asked.
“New Hyde Park, Nassau-Queens border,” I replied as usual.
She pointed to her partner and said, “That is where he was born!”
You never know when magic is going to come your way.
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning. You will find it when you least expect it.
Check out Bobby, Kingtide and Allensworth…..you won’t be disappointed and your blood pressure just might drop.
https://kingtide1.bandcamp.com/
https://bobbyalu.bandcamp.com/
https://allensworth.bandcamp.com/