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QUARTER NOTE
Being Present
By
David Freedman
What happens when you have the day to end one train and one bus before I made it to the
all days, and there’s nothing you can do about concert – 30 minutes late. I’m someone who is
it? Several weeks ago, I relearned an important ultra-punctual, and 30 minutes late was simply
lesson in patience. I had planned to attend unacceptable, even though I knew there was
the Portland Lesbian Choir concert which, to nothing I could have done about it. I managed
put it mildly, was at a faraway venue. In fact, it to see most of the first half of the concert, but
was at Parkrose High School on 122nd Ave- because I’d arrived so late, the lights were
nue. I live at Lloyd Center and don’t drive, but dimmed, and I couldn’t find a seat. My stom-
thankfully, I could catch the light rail there… ach was clenched in knots by this point, and I
or so I thought. I walked down to the light rail found it hard to enjoy the music even though
station where it turned out the next few stops the choir was the best it had ever sounded.
were closed due to construction on the system At the intermission, I found several friends
which wouldn’t be completed until March 4th. who assured me that there were seats avail-
Of course, I didn’t know this beforehand. My able near them. To my relief, I sat down and
first thought was to tell myself: Don’t panic. had a discussion with one of them. As our
You’ve got this. talk continued, I finally mentioned that I was
still tense from going through what to me felt
I immediately realized that since the light rail like a veritable comedy of errors just to make
wasn’t running properly, I’d simply have to it to the concert. My friend said, “Well, David,
take the shuttle bus. I ran down to the shuttle, you made it anyway. Why don’t you calm
catching it on time to my great relief. But there down and just be in the moment?”
was still a problem. The shuttles take you to
the required stops, but they’re much slower Here’s the thing: I don’t necessarily do “in
than the regularly functioning MAX lines. Sure the moment” very well. I’m a writer of sci-
enough, the shuttle took me to the required ence fiction, fantasy, and essays. When
stop, but again, there was a problem. I’d have people say my head is in the clouds,
to run across the street to catch the train it’s usually past the orbit of Jupiter.
which was sitting there ready to leave. I Coming down out of that reverie has
rose and stood at the bus door, ready to become easier in recent years, but
run for the train, only to watch the MAX being present is a lesson I’m still
pull away before we could even reach the learning. To my own astonishment,
stop. however, I took his advice. After I
took a deep breath, we continued
To make a very long story short, I missed our conversation until the lights low-
Photo by Davod on Unslash.com
16 ONE COMMUNITY
