Thang Nguyen 555

Mr Ben King has died. From here on out, we are on our own in Spanish Harlem. No one is going to “stand by me”. He described his singing career as “accidental” and that he felt like he’d been cheating (fate?). A lot of great things in life are just that: accidental. Last week, I read a bunch of April 30, 1975 accounts (as if there were an essay contest on victim-hood). Why didn’t you say so? You here means both sides of the Vietnam conflict. One side wants to avoid the fallen dominos (ironically, more Domino’s (Pizza) are now standing, not fallen here in Vietnam). The other just wants arm supplies to fend for itself against aggressors, this time, the very arm supplier of the past up North. No one is going to “stand by me” this time. One can play the victim card for so long. Like a hacked spam mail, asking for money to un-jam the sender who had been robbed in far-away land – sent to a stolen distro list to cry wolf. On other matter, Baltimore reminds me of Watts (and the LA Riot). Both places have fenced off neighborhood, their Spanish Harlem, where at times, police breaks the law to enforce it. What’s so hard to just get along even “accidentally” (to paraphrase Rodney King). We have done well with Native American land, back-breaking contribution of African slaves, Chinese rail-road coolies, all single men (and ironically, Chinese goods in containers that passed through those rail ways), Saudi oil, Mexican muscles, Moore’s Law and Asian savings. In the words of Don Corleone, it’s been “an offer one can’t refuse”. So long as we don’t forget the Golden Rule. It’s a new race (technology such as EV batteries for home, poop but drinkable water) with new rules. But some old rules endure: first dance with the bride was for the groom. But ” Darling save the last dance for me”. RIP Ben King. Good to be “cheated” by you and your Drifters’ friends.