Redemption

A few Tuesdays back, I went for an early evening hike in Griffith Park to get a burst of energy and clear out the mess in my head, as I am wont to do. I went straight and fast up to the Observatory and then beyond to Mount Hollywood’s lookout point. It was a lovely evening, with a number of people out and about enjoying it. This visit had a different treat than I usually encounter. There was a guy up there playing his guitar… and he was rather good to listen to. I listened to him for a short while and then he stopped (sadly, just before going beyond four notes of Purple Haze), as his fingers were getting chilly. I applauded, and he looked around, thanked me (not having previously noticed me listening there) and then started to pack up. Then he changed his mind and began playing just one more tune. Wonderfully, he started on one of my favourites, “Redemption Song”, which fit my mood then perfectly, fit with many people’s moods a week after the Presidential elections, and also fits my somewhat brooding and contemplative mood now. It certainly works well on this Thanksgiving Day here in the USA.

It was a lovely few minutes there in the low golden sunlight, with a sense of rest and peace there on top of the mountain while the afternoon rush hour raged on down below (you can see the full and slow-moving 5 highway not far away in the distance). A few other people stayed and listened, and you can hear the footsteps and chatter of people coming and going on their hikes behind us.

So I’ll leave you with the video to watch along with Thanksgiving good wishes if you are celebrating the day (and with apologies for the poor sound due to the wind blowing across the microphone, and the Blair Witch meets Cloverfield camerawork – I was trying not to make him feel too self conscious and so was pretending to just take a few stills, not video). [I won’t name him since I do not have permission yet. I took some stills of him that I promised to mail to him and so when I do I will ask his permission to use his name.] [Update: It is Dustin Rissman.]

Thank You, Guitar Guy.