Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Saturday, October 6, 2018

escaping and gobsmacked

     A Miles Davis set blended nicely into a Horace Silver quintet piece as the Pacific coast glided along through the windshield. Southbound on Highway One, watching the cobalt blue sky and turquoise Pacific wash away dystopian blues.

      Nature was giving me a brain massage, kneading away the freak show that is Washington. Art Blakey, and then Ella and Lee Morgan bringing life back to a moribund sense of hope. Being spiked up with the sheer beauty of the California coast, as far away from the evil spell as I can be.  Destination-a better mind set and Morro Bay.
     When we visited as tourists, California was always a mind cleanser. We'd come from back east wired up with the ways of politics and intrigues and work. A few breaths of air, the heat of the sun and the Cali culture made all of that seem so silly, other worldly, curious and far away.
     Feeling Highway 1 under the wheels, and in the groove the liberation spirit was rising and I had a mission.
       Oysters, from Giovanni's on the embarcadero was my assignment for a daughter's birthday party tomorrow. We've been buying oysters and fish from this waterfront since our first adventure in never never land in the late 60's. I love the product of the local fishermen, the staff, and to people watch. I was a  tourist here once and I catch a nostalgic vibe each time I see folks enjoying a vacation and cuing up in line for the take away or being dazzled by the counter case offerings.
      Today, there was some other blue magic. Black and red magic too.


     The Woodies are in town.

    Woodies at a California Surf Shop! That's about as far from the Senate and this White House that you can get, right?

    I heard a woman say to her mate, "You know you're getting old when you remember the Woodies." His retort, "Or when you don't get 'em very often." They snickered and so did a few others milling about. 






     So maybe the Saturday Night Live skits "The Californians" make you smile. We laugh too. But right now California life makes a lot more sense than Washington stupidity and seems a lot healthier as well.
      Here's a man that get's my vote-a man with a real skill and who has them waiting in line


    Cruising back up the 1, with Coltrane, Indy's own Wes Montgomery, Marsalis, Parker and Dizzy I felt better and got it through my head that all things change and pass. Whether you call it karma, universal balance, divine justice, or whatever, action gets responded to with reaction and so it has ever been. 
    I also know I'd rather spend a day on the California coast than in a Senate hearing room. You know, I knew that years ago, but needed simply to get out there and breath it, feel it, enjoy it. I'm not going out on a limb here when I say you can breath it, feel it, and enjoy it wherever you are. It's life and we only have one. We should not let fools, idiots, liars and ideologues take that from us. There are days for fighting, and there are days for recharging. Peace.

    See you down the trail. 

11 comments:

  1. Great line about the woodies! Relax, Tom, enjoy your retirement.

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  2. Wasn't there an old 60s-70s poster that said "Keep the Faith!"? Hard to do when we're mired in the mud.

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  3. Great, soothing narrative following this past week of national turmoil.

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  4. Tom, I've only read through it once and it felt downright therapeutic. As a 49'er who arrived on this coast a century after the Gold Rush, I can agree with your post in every respect. I've traveled many places, but there's no place like home. Your photos are wonderful too.

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  5. That fish market, Giovanni's, is/was a favorite of mine. When I was in the RV park just north of the rock, I shopped there every day for dinner. And lunch.
    Great post, Tom.

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  6. I was talking to an old friend last week, He said, "How's life in La-La Land and aren't you glad Governor Moonbeam is termed out. I told him, "It wonderful and I'm sad that the country's best Governor Jerry Brown can't stay in office longer and oh, have you heard about our budget surplus?"

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  7. 2018 makes the year that I can no longer say that I spent most of my adult life in California. Indeed, your writing captures such wonderful memories, brings my heart full circle allowing me to breath again...realizing it’s not how our country prioritizes power but how we choose to appreciate spending time and place with the sights, sounds, and loved ones we cherish...be it Indiana, Montana, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, or the soul of California. Thank you for sharing your creative wisdom.

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  8. Great cars. Great Morro Bay memories. Makes me want to put on a Beach Boys album to relive the California Dreamin' of my youth

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