The Giant's Chair
by
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Thursday, May 24, 1979 was a spectacular spring day in New York City. The sky was blue and pollution free like country air. I had a couple of hours to myself before making a guest appearance at a Midtown bookstore. I took advantage of the weather by eating my lunch in Central Park. I sat down on a bench near Central Park West and began reading a newly acquired book. A squirrel appeared before me and boldly demanded a piece of my sandwich. Only in New York will a squirrel drop its guard and approach human beings.
I was so absorbed in feeding my squirrel friend that I barely noticed the man who sat down on the bench some five feet away from me. I gave him a quick glance and resumed reading. Then my brain registered the observation. If a camera had been filming my face, it would have captured the greatest double-take in movie history. For there, seated just a few feet away from me, was John Lennon.
I experienced both joy and fear in a fraction of a second. I hoped he didn't see my reaction and think he was sitting next to an idiot. I took another quick glance. Thankfully, he didn't notice my awkwardness in recognizing him. Time stood still as he crossed his legs and took a drag off the Gitanes dangling from the corner of his mouth.
It was really him.
I was an extremely big fan who knew every one of his songs, all their lyrics, and the various nuances and interpretations. I was a tremendously big fan. I knew Lennon's life story, inside and out, from Liverpool to New York. I hadn't seen many photos of him since his self-imposed hiatus from the recording industry, but I'd recognize him anywhere.
For Christ's sake, Adam, you're sitting next to one of the few people in the entire world you truthfully admire...say something to him. To this day I don't know how I mustered the courage to open my mouth and speak to him. Each word I pronounced seemed to echo throughout the park, bouncing down to the Hayden Planetarium, across to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cascading off the band shell, and back to where we were sitting. My throat was parched as I said,
'I see that an old buddy of yours had quite a celebration last weekend.'
Somewhere, in the deep recesses of my mind, I recalled reading that Eric and Patti Clapton had a big party to celebrate their marriage on the previous Saturday. George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr attended. The three former mates performed an impromptu song in honor of the newlyweds. The press touted the event as the first Beatles reunion since their breakup some nine years earlier. Conspicuous by his absence was the man sitting next to me.
As the echo on my last words continued to reverberate around Central Park, something more unnerving occurred. Total silence. I started to sweat. Had I committed the faux pas of my life? To my astonishment a voice replied,
'Ahhh...you must be talking about Mr. Clapton.'
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About the Book
Adam Chance is the quintessential Sixties man. He saw The Beatles at Shea Stadium, went to Woodstock and was active in the Antiwar movement. Then, he wrote about the counterculture in his best-selling book, WALDEN PAVED OVER.
Now, in the 1990s, Adam finds himself middle aged, divorced and suffering from every author's nightmare ... writer's block. An understanding therapist suggests that he keep a journal to do a life review. The effect is liberating. No longer does he have to worry about word limits and cranky editors. He's totally free to express his point of view and explore new writing styles.
Adam recalls sharing a pizza with Jim Morrison in a Greek restaurant. He reminisces about a transcendent conversation with John Lennon in Central Park. He balances satire and parody by imagining a 'Sixties Sell-Out' awards ceremony, composing a list of 60 things he fears might happen and writing the script for the final episode of STAR TREK.
Adam's fondest memories are of his childhood with best friend, Midnight Duke. In the Summer of 1963, Adam and Midnight climb the Giant's Chair, a huge rock formation located in the rolling hills beyond their back yards. The two boys remain friends into adulthood as they pass through different phases of their lives. Then tragedy strikes and each man must cope with the outcome on his own level. Eventually, both friends are led back to the Giant's Chair.
Adam gives himself permission to explore his spiritual side. He immerses himself in books on mind/body healing and practices meditation. He seeks forgiveness from his ex-wife, desires reconciliation with an estranged brother and celebrates the unique qualities of the Sixties generation.
Adam's road to understanding contains a few bumps along the way, but his journal becomes the path to renewal. Ultimately, Adam Chance discovers an answer that has always been inside him ... a basic truth as old as time itself.
About the Author
Marc A. Catone lives in upstate New York
Marc is the author of AS I WRITE THIS LETTER: An American Generation Remembers THE BEATLES. Currently, he is writing a book about his experiences during the 1960s. You can discuss the social and political events of the Sixties with him and others at:
Marc A. Catone lives in upstate
Marc is the author of AS I WRITE THIS LETTER: An American Generation Remembers THE BEATLES. Currently, he is writing a book about his experiences during the 1960s. You can discuss the social and political events of the Sixties with him and others at: