The train ride downtown this morning seemed endless. Rolling past red brick industrial buildings that have stood for more than a century -- warehouses for corrugated cardboard boxes and god knows what else -- I tried telling myself the country has survived plenty of other awful elections. "Despair" is too strong to describe the feeling, partly because it doesn't leave much room for "Anger." Yesterday afternoon, when it looked like Kerry would win, I told a couple of conservative friends they were taking the news more gracefully than I could. Now we'll find out.
One day last week, I missed the 8:00 express and waited for the 8:10, reading Dylan's "Chronicles, Vol. 1" in the station when a candidate approached, flyer in hand. I've tended to ignore them on the train platform, regardless of their party persuasion; grabbing a cup of coffee seemed a much higher priority. She saw the book jacket and asked if it's a good read. Yeah, I replied. She said she'd known him in the early days, Greenwich Village. Acquaintances, not friends. "A real sweet kid," she said. I told her she had my vote, which was true before we'd even met. Yesterday she lost, of course. Her four-term incumbent opponent's main line of attack: The challenger was endorsed by unions.
So, as today's train pulled into Union Station downtown, I was thinking of her and many other hard-working, virtuous, patriotic people who must feel something close to despair this morning. I followed a bunch of fellow travelers through the tunnel, onto the concourse, up the stairs to ground level. Staggering to daylight. Trying to recall Ezra Pound, "In a Station of the Metro." Finally, a blast of fresh air. TV news crews stacked up, at the top of the stairs. It can be only one person. I shake Barack's hand, wish him luck, and then barely make it into my building.
Posted by Vernam at November 3, 2004 08:51 AM>And can I just say, I am impressed by TOF?
>His current quietitude and restraint from
>gloating and dancing around the vanquished
>Cipher and his leftist loyalists, is
>tastefully refined. His President would
>be humbled.
Dean, if I didn't know better, I'd say you miss TOF! Don't worry, he's probably ready to pounce, so let's enjoy this period of unity, however transitory or downright illusory. ;^) Hell, I even said something nice to Mike's friend Brad when I realized he voted against the MI anti-gay bill.
>I figured you were revisiting Hwy 61, with
>that title and then the train ride.
Oh yeah, you got the reference right. I shed a few tears on that train.
>So, should I read Chronicles Vol. 1?
Gotta. It's not completely escapist, but there are very few downright boring bits. He has interesting comments about your homey Al Kooper. Critics questioned the emphasis on Oh Mercy -- I suppose they wanted him instead to tell who Mr. Jones is or some such BS -- but that part was my favorite, how it showed the struggles he and Lanois had. Surprising they ever worked together again. Whether that was his greatest album is irrelevant to the story behind it.
>Heading down to Cabo san Lucas, for some
>peach margaritas and scuba diving.
Well deserved! Just got off the phone w/ a friend in NH who was proud they took back their state. He was a Kerry volunteer back when Dean was still the frontrunner, and he lived in the South back when I did, too. IOW, no illusions about what we're up against. But we all learned a lot this election and need to be ready for the mid-terms.
Posted by: VC at November 4, 2004 04:23 PMAnd can I just say, I am impressed by TOF? His current quietitude and restraint from gloating and dancing around the vanquished Cipher and his leftist loyalists, is tastefully refined. His President would be humbled.
Posted by: deano at November 4, 2004 04:05 PMI figured you were revisiting Hwy 61, with that title and then the train ride.
So, should I read Chronicles Vol. 1? But don't you think he should have titled it Chronicles #12 & 35? I need an interesting escapist read, because I'm taking a break from political actioning, through thanksgiving. Heading down to Cabo san Lucas, for some peach margaritas and scuba diving. Afterward, I'll get back to my personal agenda.
Carry that weight!
Posted by: deano at November 4, 2004 02:12 PMDeano said:
>Can't buy a thrill.
Maybe a country, though? And if I die up on top of the hill . . .
Leigh Anne said:
>Do you feel like you are moving
>under water? Because I do.
That's a pretty accurate description. A good night's sleep has helped, but there's no getting around the fact that we live in a different country than we did just 48 hours ago.
>Pound's poem was a perfect choice
>for the day. Somber tone and displacement.
Thanks. In addition to being a poetic genius, he was also a devoted fascist, which is another reason those lines kept coming to me yesterday. Most days I'm happier, and the people swarming underground remind me of Ray Davies. ;^)
Even allowing for how this guy sounds slightly nutty, he makes good points about the new Savonarolas.
Posted by: VC at November 4, 2004 09:24 AMCan't buy a thrill.
Do you feel like you are moving under water? Because I do. But I'm trying to piece together some kind of recuperation. I'm still distraught but I'm trying not to be weighted down by my disappointment.
Pound's poem was a perfect choice for the day. Somber tone and displacement.
Posted by: Leigh Anne at November 3, 2004 11:05 PM