The Sound of Silence / Give Peace a Chance
Memorial Day weekend heralds the beginning of summer, even though it doesn’t officially begin until June 21. Last year’s drive-in Memorial Day ceremony held in the South Shore parking lot of Lake Gregory due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a moving event to honor America’s war dead. This year, we can expect perfect weather, with blue sky and temperatures predicted to be in the 80s range, which should attract many locals, as well as hordes of down-the-hill visitors.
As usual on holiday weekends, one can expect hordes of lost visitors to ask, “How do I get to Big Bear?” I must say I won’t miss them when they’re gone and there is a return to peace and tranquility in the mountaintop communities… that is, until the arrival of the Fourth of July down-the-hill hordes.
But, when they are gone and forgotten, I’ll be singing along with Simon and Garfunkel.
“Hello darkness my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again because a vision softly creeping left its seeds while I was sleeping and the vision that was planted in. my brain still remains within the sound of silence.” (“The Sound of Silence” – Simon and Garfunkel – 1966)
It seems the original concept of Memorial Day has lost its meaning. It used to be a day set aside to honor America’s veterans who fought for our country and paid the ultimate price. Now it’s a three-day weekend to go hunting for garage sales… haven’t they sold that garage yet?… camping in the mountains or desert, backyard barbecues and a chance to get rip-roaring drunk… please don’t attempt driving back down-the-hill or anywhere else. Oh well, the CHP will deal with them.
I don’t know about you but, in addition to honoring our veterans, I will be spending my Memorial Day weekend dodging rattlesnakes while using my weed whacker for the second time since last month, thanks to last week’s incessant fog, drizzle and light rain that has already made the already-cut weeds in my yard start growing tall again. OK, so I also plan to knock back a few brewskies while I light up the barbie to render some baby-back ribs smothered in Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory BBQ sauce…Mmmmmm!
OK, so I also plan to hunt for some yard sales, since I’m always searching for classic folk and rock albums. I was lucky enough recently to find a hidden gem that had mysteriously disappeared from my rather extensive record collection. It’s John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance” album. Strangely enough, the song is called “Give Peace A Chance.”
With the world teetering on the brink of self-destruction, we are lucky that Israel and Hamas finally got the message. It’s something to reflect upon this Memorial Day weekend.
Keep it flyin’, Uncle Mott