they feel in literally being free from our silly little worldly pressures of trying to look and live good, impress one another, and make others like and love us so that we can “have” and “be.” They’re not like us. In their world, the most scrutiny they come under are those sneers and “ew’”s but when they’ve walked past it-they’re done with it. Ongoing “keeping ups” and “trying to’s” doesn’t exist in their free world. I find that and them, to be remarkable in that regard.
I mean-the dynamics of these people and their lives, and especially their pasts, are storybook worthy. I can vouch for that!
But this blog isn’t about me and my homeless buddies. I just wanted to put some “humanness” on what (too many) seems so bothersome, disgusting, and problematic. That’s all.
This blog is actually about that reporter’s story that I could SO relate to.
It touched me greatly because ironically, the journalist in (real-life training) that I am + the journalist in my head and at heart that I am; the reporter in this story is a “me”-my experiences with those people (like who he ran into while on location). This story would have definitely been mine to report so instead, I’ll blog about what was reported.
Talk about magic! Let me tell it:
A news reporter by the name of Stanley Roberts who worked for San Francisco station KRON-TV was in Oakland California on location working on a story about illegal dumping, and while there; he ran into another man, a homeless man named Marcus “The Magnificent” Malone who claimed that he was a former band mate of Carlos Santana’s some decades ago when the band was called “Santana Blues Band.” According to the man, the band’s humble beginnings began in the late 60’s-in his mother’s garage.
Skeptical at first, Roberts took the initiative to check it out and go dumpster diving (I’m sure his journalist antennas wouldn’t let the claim go unchecked-we dig).
Results: True story.
So on that following Friday, the reporter took Santana for a surprise visit to the area where the homeless man had been bunking.
Homeless, and having lived and lost a lot, faculties not devoid of emotion the homeless man said softly after he and Santana embraced: “You don’t know how afraid I am to let you see me.”
If you know your music history, then you know Carlos Santana himself had a fall from grace and went through a very bad period in his time but had embraced spirituality and rearranged his thinking and feeling which in turn; changed his doings. Eventually, Santana put himself back together again and got back to what he loved and what he was loved for.
Although he has had a very successful and consistent welcoming comeback and rebirth since his fall from grace, the Spirit God’s didn’t prepare him getting back together in this way-with someone so near and dear to his musical roots.
Santana replied, humbly: “We cherish you. It’s an honor to be in presence. You and your family was so gracious to us.”
One thing I learned about all people (not just some of us, is this one thing-that I can only put in the form of a quote to help you see it like I see it): ‘The best way to make yourself look diplomatic, good, and trustworthy is to not judge other people in front of, to, or for other people. And the very best way to do that is to answer this question when asked about someone by someone: ‘I guess it would depend on who you ask.’
The same is true about this mere homeless man-who one would probably not think or have much to say about him other than what his current condition and situation is. Although walking past a homeless man like Malone and having no knowledge of his past, one may not think much of him past dumping anything on him. Or feeling he’s nothing worth anything past being dumped on, yet, the likes of a Carlos Santana poured from his heart; the fact that Malone was a very important influence on his Afro-Latin sound (as written in former Rolling Stone magazine writer Ben Fong-Torres’ book titled: “Not Fade Away: A Backstage Ticket to 20 years of Rock & Roll.”)
A history has it, Malone played the congas on Santana’s first album but left the band shortly before their performance at Woodstock as a result of
Spitfire .
Media Maestro .
Writing Rhinoceros .
