I just wanted to share this little bit of Joni nonsense with you.
I was on a flight last week from NY to Pittsburg, on the 5th, a day when bad
weather was forcast all over the place. Having just finished Edith Wharton's
exquisite "House of Mirth" I had nothing to bring with me to read. But I
happened upon Joni's biography by Hinton(?)in a bookstore on the way to the
airport and picked it up. I figured there'd be something in there to enjoy
on my 4 days in beautiful Jamestown, NY/Pittsburg, PA.
The flight left only 20 minutes late, but, as far as I'm concerned, in
hindsight, it never should have taken off. After only several minutes in the
air, I couldn't hold the book steady enough to read. We were taking wicked
bounces up and down and side to side. The coffee cart was brought out, but
within minutes, was returned due to the turbulence. I was trying to read
about Joni's early years in the first chapter, but my hands grew so sweaty
with fear; I was staining the pages. I closed the book after a dozen pages
or so. I thought maybe the longbearded, yarmulke wearing gentleman in front
of me might have an in with God, but I refrained from bothering him to ask
for an extra prayer for us because, it seemed, nobody else was really
bothered by what was going on. I was almost in tears, but apparently
everyone else around me was either sleeping or reading. Now, I fly maybe
once a month, but this was THE worst I'd ever experienced. I guess everyone
else had experienced worse. We landed OK, after an hour or so, and I came
off the plane sighing heavily every few minutes, unable to stop for the rest
of the day. Maybe it was some kind of defense mechanism. Actually, I felt
like I was gonna breakdown; I was that terrified. But I held my composure,
at least outwardly, and proceeded on my journey.
I get to my final destination, Jamestown, NY, at lunchtime. This required a
short flight on a prop plane that behaved quite well for the weather
conditions. I was able to enjoy more of the first chapter of the bio on the
flight and I learned more of Joni's early life that I had not previously
been privy to. Before driving to the customer with whom I had to work that
day, I stopped at a McDonalds for lunch. Walking into the restaurant and
waiting on line was a surreal experience. No offense to the people of
Jamestown, but I felt REAL out of place in a suit. And my desperate and
harried look, although tempered slightly with the passing of a couple of
hours, was only reawakened by the filthy mumbling maniacal man ranting to
himself in the corner near the ketchup dispenser. Of course, I got on the
line that moved the slowest; the woman in front of me had four different
happy meals to go and couldn't remember the toys that each kid wanted! And
every time I would glance over to the mumbler,(I couldn't help it), he was
staring a hole right through me with a wicked smile showing more space than
teeth. After what seemed like a lifetime, (maybe 5 minutes), I got my two
cheeseburger meal, and just before exiting for my rental car, "The Circle
Game" comes over the Muzak in the store. I nearly freaked. I sat down to
eat, listening intently to my savior with tears welling. I had to use the
bathroom to compose myself. I don't know what song came before or after
Joni, but I KNOW that she played just for me.
The rest of the trip was successful, yet uneventful. And, I think, will
never be forgotten...
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