Being a senior citizen, I am now in my fourth month of “house arrest.” This limited mobility is quite challenging to my sanity, especially because I miss the magic words, “This is your Captain speaking,” music to my ears each time I cross an ocean.
Being a music lover, I took my mind off this predicament and went on a melodious tour to exciting places on the wings of classic Broadway hit musicals. Do you want to know how I did it?
Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. I landed in Salzburg, Austria singing “Do-Re-Mi” but I couldn’t finish the song. I immediately found myself busy solving a problem like Maria, and counting bright copper kettles, warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, a few of my favorite things.
I enjoyed my trip because I did not have to climb every mountain, nor search high and low, because it was right there greeting me, Austria’s national flower: Edelweiss. It’s small and white, clean and bright. The sight of it made me want to stay longer and cling on to the magical Sound of Music but I had to move on and let go, for how can you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
Crossing the Atlantic, I landed in my favorite, New York City. I went straight to the West Side to follow the Story of the modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Along the way, I passed by a happy and playful group of immigrants from Puerto Rico. I heard the ladies chanting, “I wanna be in America, everything’s free in America”; but their male counterparts butted in, “if you’re all-white in America.”
Further down, I saw in an alley in between tenement houses the lovestruck Tony, who was professing to his lady love, “Tonight, there’s only you tonight, what you are, what you do, what you say.” Of course, Maria, the object of his affection, assured him that they’ll go somewhere to make their love flourish. I didn’t want to witness their sad ending, so I decided to go somewhere where there is peace and quiet and open air.
Oklahoma is where the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain. It was such a beautiful morning, and a beautiful day, I had a wonderful feeling that everything was going my way.
So, I hopped on to the surrey with a fringe on top whose wheels are yeller and upholstery’s brown, and the dashboard’s genuine leather. It also had curtains you can roll right down in case there’s a change in the weather. I had so much fun, I was almost tempted to stay longer, but I knew other places were waiting for me.
I was thinking of visiting Kansas, to walk along the yellow brick road with my friends, but they were all off to see the Wizard of Oz. Too bad for me, because I wanted to go on a hot air balloon that would take me somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. If happy little bluebirds fly, then why, oh why can’t I?
It also crossed my mind to go back to New York’s 14th street to greet a friend, “Hello Dolly” because I heard she’s back where she belongs. They say she’s looking swell, and she’s glowin’, crowin’, goin’ strong. But I dropped the plan, and, instead, flew across the Pacific to the only monarchy in Asia.
I found myself visiting Headmistress Anna, who was in the service of a very strict and fearsome King. I myself felt the fear but I held my head erect and whistled a happy tune so no one will suspect that I was afraid. But I was very surprised that, even if The King and I have just met, he was very nice to me, making me very comfortable and at ease inside the Royal Palace.
Going through the crowd, I had a chance to say hello to young lovers and assured them that all my good wishes were with them that night. The fun inside the Royal Hall escalated when the King asked Anna, “Shall we dance, on a bright cloud of music shall we fly?” Hearing this from the King, I felt I had to say goodnight but mean goodbye.
My last stop on this tour was far down below in the South Pacific, in the beautiful island of Bali Ha’I, where the sky meets the sea. What caught my interest in this island are the natives, who always engage in happy talk, and keep talking happy talk. They talk about things they’d like to do. But, I had to have a dream because if I don’t have a dream, how am I gonna make a “dream come true.”
My visit to this magical island ended in some enchanted evening where I heard someone laughing across a crowded room. But I know I didn’t have to stay on, because I will always hear that laughter again and again.
Thank goodness I found this fun way to bear an unbearable sorrow, to right the unrightable wrong, and to try even when my arms are too weary. No amount of quarantine woes could faze me now, as I feel like I am the Man from La Mancha, riding high on his impossible dream.
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YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE
Why is the letter W, in English, called “Double U”? Shouldn’t it be “Double V”?
For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.