Big Shoes to Fill

The Clearwater Festival - the Great Hudson River Rival. The man behind the historic, annually held environmental weekend is the father of folk Pete Seeger himself.

The Alison Krauss lyrics You're the lucky one/So I've been told/As free as the wind/Blowin' down the road/Loved by many, hated by none.

I was the luckiest person in the world, I felt like, participating in this cool organization in the Bronx called Rocking the Boat. I felt privileged and more privileged. My time was limited though. I found out about them during my last semester as a high school senior thanks to the best Mr. Levy. I had graduation to look forward to and I was off to college at the end of the summer. The best part of that exciting time in life was spending it by the grimmy Bronx River with Rocking the Boat.

Rocking the Boat always has a place in the Clearwater Festival. There I was in 2003, graced by the majorly talented guitarist and singer Jill Sobule - the festival consistently feature the best artists. I mean, in 2004, Dar Williams was there!

Everyone was camping out on the grounds along the Hudson River. The weekend was soaking wet, raining heavily, lightly, unpredictably. Forget my formal responsibilities at the festival; there was one stage I had to be at that weekend - Jill Sobule's. 

I remember leaving the group, going to the stage by myself because I was essentially the only one who knew about and dug her. I remember the rain stopping right as she came on stage. The crowd started out small. I suspect most people were taking shelter from the rain. There I was, butt on the wet grass as Jill graced the guitar and the crowd with songs that makes people smile. She sings about Jetpacks.

Alas, I needed to use the porter potty. I held out for as long as I could. Jill was almost at the end of her set. That's when I made mad dash. No one wants to stay long in those vestibules. The plan was to be in and out and back to the stage in under a minute. 

As I stepped out of the porter potty, I heard in the distance the clunching sound of Big Shoes - Jill's ingenious expression of childhood mockery. Either the rain had started falling again or I was running back crying in laughter.