So August 9th 1995 started off like any normal summer day. I was to train at my new job and then off to my friends house to jam and smoke pot and just hang out.
But suddenly the TV screens filled with images of Jerry Garcia. I immediately knew that he was dead. His face was never on the tv screens. And indeed my sense was correct. Jerry Garcia had died that morning, 4:23 am, at Serenity Knolls.
I was taken aback. I couldn't breath. I couldn't move and I couldn't think. I asked my manager if I could leave stating that I would be of no use that day. She allowed it.
I went home and upon returning the table was littered with phone messages from family, friends and loved ones expressing their condolences to me. There was also a single lit candle on the table. I was taken aback that so many people would call me to expresst their condolences for someone I didn't even know, but really I knew him. We all did. We all understood what this meant and how it would affect us.
I broke down. I was overwhelmed by the grief of knowing this amazingly talented man was gone, never to play another note.
Well people in grief have a choice. Sit there and wallow or move into action in an effort to avoid the hurt. Immediately a group of us got together and started jamming Grateful Dead songs. "Let there be songs to fill the air." We smoked joints and told stories of Jerry and Grateful Dead concerts. We laughed, we played some more, and we hid our tears.
A few days later we all gathered in the Forest Preserve, even the local newspaper was there. We all had instruments and we all hugged.
The sky was cloudy with a few rain drops falling as if the sky also knew the pain of our loss. We all played a heartfelt vesion of Not Fade Away and as we chanted, "know our love will not fade away...", a small opening appeared in the clouds and then as if with Jerry's acknowledgement there appeared a shiny rainbow.
We all jumped to our feet and cheered and broke into tears. Jerry was with us. Jerry heard our song and felt our pain. He wanted us to know that he knew.
We all hugged and shouted at the rainbow screaming, "Jerry!!!!!"
After awhile we slowly dispersed. Back to reality and back to be alone. Listening to Grateful Dead music for the first time had become sad and depressing, but uplifting and with promise in other ways.
My friend and I quickly organized a memorial concert to be held two days later. It was just he and I with our guitars in a little coffee shop. That night 80 people showed up and most couldn't fit inside the place so the owner set up two speakers outside and people sat in the parking lot and listened.
After the show a young woman came up to me crying and hugged me and just said, "Thanks." Then she walked off.
I looked up at the sky and to Jerry I said, "Thanks."
HE'S GONE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vYFztExank
