Party! An actual party with human beings. Six members of my home class came over yesterday for our annual Xmas potluck; three more Zoomed in. Those on Zoom were there for it all; we left the computer on the kitchen counter as we stood around eating hors d’oeuvres, on a nearby stool when we moved to the table for the feast, and on a table in the living-room as they read their stories. Peg read her own story and critiqued the others as if she was here with us instead of at home. The miracle of technology. The miracle of human gathering. Of seeing each other in the flesh, not in little boxes, but with LEGS. We know each other so well by now, we’re family. My other family was over last night and it was glorious.
Screen shot of the merry band taken by Kathy, who was at home. Sorry, Ruth, you’re cut off at the side. What a beautiful bunch: Diana, Curtis, Jennifer, Sam, Rita, Ruth. And at home, Brad, Mary, Kathy, Peg, Helen. Love you all.
The night before, I watched Get Back, Part 3. Right now I’m listening to Let It Be Naked – the CD of the record the film details, without all the schmaltzy extras added by Phil Spector. Just those voices, guitars, keyboards, drums – sublime. The incredible thing about the film – spoiler alert – is that after watching them hang around schmoozing, joking, eating, smoking, noodling on instruments, arguing, not letting Yoko drive them crazy, trying to figure out what the hell they’re doing – they get on the roof and blow the top off the sky. The sheer joy of Paul and John, standing side by side, doing what they’ve been doing since they were boys – the joy is ours too. And with music they just pulled out of the air the day before. We watch it happen, our mouths hanging open. Genius.
