Fortunate Sons

Let the Good Times Roll: Woodstock Day 1 August, 1969

Taylor, Sue, Dix and Mitch had never seen so many people before in their lives, a sea of people on one small plot of farmland that had been turned into a mecca for stoners, musicians and anyone and everyone looking to have a good time. Traffic had been backed up all the way to the George Washington Bridge with people parking their vehicles anywhere they could possibly find a space while the reek of marijuana was inescapable.

Off in the distance they could hear the music playing from the stage, nothing they really recognized but had still piqued their curiosity, a loud cacophony of guitars, drums and the bass that rippled through the air like a wave. "Holy shit," Dix remarked. "It's like a Mecca for hippies."

"Well what'd you expect?" Mitch asked. "Everyone and their mother's heard about this thing."

Taylor and Sue couldn't help but laugh as they listened to Mitch and Dix's bantering. Even Tri laughed, clinging to her father as they carried her along on the hike up the hill to the concert. Taylor planted kiss on Tri's cheek and put his arm around Sue as they made their way through a sea of people to try and find a place to set up their sleeping bags. They chose a hill close to the stage where the crowd had dispersed a little and where a few vans had been parked. The sky was as blue as Lake Pontchartrain with hardly a cloud to be found and the grass as green as an emerald.

Taylor was relieved not to be wearing a t-shirt, or any shirt for that matter, underneath his thin green army jacket. The warm breeze blew through the threads of his blue jeans and the American flag bandana that was wrapped around his head like a swath of bandages. His red hair was starting to turn a fine golden blonde from days spent out in the sunlight, the tendrils spilling over the edges of his bandana and his fair skin tinted a pale red from the hot August sun.

Soon enough, they all began to hear the music playing and people cheering as Richie Havens took to the stage and began playing "Freedom". His voice rang over the hillsides and reached the ears of everyone who had come. Taylor, Dix and Mitch sang every word they knew, moving with the music as though they were back home, dancing to the music of the voodoo drums.

Taylor let the words wash over him like the river, telling the story of all the struggle, strife and longing that many before him had only known. "Freedom" was one of those songs that Bill had easily related to, passing it along to the other children of the house and even singing it around the bonfire on St. John's Night.

Taylor hadn't even realized that he had been in such a deep, meditative state until he nearly fell over onto the ground and was caught by Dix. "Hey man you ok?" Dix laughed as he helped Taylor to his feet. "You looked like you were about to pass some kind of spirit or something."

"Kinda felt like it," Taylor laughed.

"You sure you're ok?" Sue asked him.

"Sue I'll be ok don't worry, let's just enjoy the rest of the day."

They sprawled out in the grass as an announcement was made. Onto the stage an Indian guru had come all the way to New York to give the invocation speech for the festival, his words deeply moving as his voice reached the ears of all who were in attendance.

The next band began to play as they soaked up the remainder of the sun and inhaled the scent of fresh country air and the heavy smell of marijuana wafting from tents, vans and everywhere there happened to be people. The sun was beginning to go down and after several more artists had played, it grew dark. Taylor, Dix and Mitch could smell the rain coming from a mile away as Ravi Shankar took to the stage.

"Ok," Taylor sighed as he crawled into his sleeping bag with Sue on one side and Tri in the middle. "Let's try and get some sleep here."

"You going to be able to with the crowds and the music?" Sue half laughed.