View From The Bridge 12/12/18

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
By Muncie
12/12/18

DECEMBER MOON
This moon has four names, so choose your favorite. I frankly, do not like any of them. The Full Cold, the Full Long Nights, Full Winter Moon and Moon Before Yule are your choices.

Other facts are it is the darkest because the moon is above the horizon for a long time.

The Full Moon is Saturday the 22nd.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT OR PHILIP AND ME
“I have friends in high places.” Do you remember 7 years ago when Garth Books gave me his guitar at a concert in Las Vegas? I titled that story “Garth and Me.” I have had a very exciting and adventurous life and that night was one of the best. I had my fifteen minutes of fame.

Last weekend at the Christmas Concert was another of my even more exciting adventurers. I had never before met Philip Aaberg. My only contact with him was when he joined Jack Gladstone to play “Over the Rainbow” at my husband’s funeral. I did not meet Philip because he and Jack left immediately and did not attend the reception.

On last Friday, Randy took me to the concert at the Missouri River Medical Center at 10:30 a.m. for the residents of the Nursing Home. I met Philip Aaberg for the first time.

We then went to the Fort Benton Elementary School for the Kiddo’s concert  at 12:30 p.m.  I had a wonderful time not knowing that the best was yet to come.

On Sunday Randy and I arrived at the school about 2:00 p.m. Philip was already there. Since there were many members of the Performing Arts board already there, they did not need my help so I went to my usual seat, 2nd row 1st seat, in the left  hand side. Philip was on stage and I took the copy of “Mary’s Boy Chile”(Chile is not misspelled) and asked Philip if he had ever heard of it. He played a couple of lines and that was the first of the good things to come.

A little background for me and this beautiful Christmas carol was in the late 70’s when I heard it the first time. My daughter went to an all-girl high school and at their Christmas Concert they sang the song and it immediately became my favorite. The music teacher gave me a copy of the music that I always carry with me at Christmas time.

I have given copies of the song to many people over the years hoping that someone would play it for me. It never happened until last Sunday.

After intermission, when Philip sat down at the piano, he said that I had showed him a copy of “Mary’s Boy Chile” and he played it for the audience. I was thrilled beyond words and it was better than getting Garth’s guitar.

After the show,  I found that Bethany, our River Press editor, was close by in aisle 2. She said that carol was her Mom’s favorite too. Later in the lobby 2 women came up to me and said it was their favorite also. They were thrilled too.

Now this brings me to another story about “Mary’s Boy Chile.” I wrote about it last Christmas but perhaps you do not remember or did not read it.

I was in Walmart looking for sweatpants but was having a difficult time finding them and besides, even back then, I had a difficult time reading small labels. I went to a desk and asked for help. An African American woman was on the phone but said she would be right with me. As she did helped she was humming Christmas carols. I then asked her if she knew “Mary’s Boy Chile?” She sang the whole song for me. As I walked away I could still hear her singing it.

So that is my Christmas story for this year. For those of you who play the piano and would like a copy of the music, I carry copies in my purse. Just ask and I will be pleased if you could play it for me. I have a good copy of the words too.

One more addition to the Chester story (where Aaberg’s live) is I asked their friend who was helping them, Laurie Lyders, if she knew Wayne Hampton. She said she certainly did and his daughter Gail.  I asked her to say hello from Fort Benton when she saw him or Gail next.

We miss Wayne very much. Remember how he used to drive that converted truck that looked like a trolley. He gave free tours around our city and was in all the parades.

Laurie was excited when she found out my name and said she has a subscription to the River Press. (She also gave me a hug for the View. I now feel like part of the Chester family.)

SCHOOL CONCERTS
Check the Community Calendar for the dates of the school concerts. Cindy L. told me they begin the week of the 17th. (That is next Monday Folks.) The Elementary and the High School put in many hours for these concerts. I hope to be able to get to all of the concerts because they are so enjoyable. I have not had any grandchildren in school for years but I still like to see and hear other friend’s children and grandchildren. See you there.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS, AND EMT’s. LET THEIR BE PEACE ON EARTH AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME.