It's the middle of summer and today felt like it. I got off the train and the sun was warm instead of hot and the town was crowded but not bustling. A man was greeting his dog after a long day away from each other and the unmistakable sound of live music was around the corner. A decent band was playing a cover of one of my favorite Songs - "The Weight" by the Band, a group I associate strongly with Upstate New York. They lived in Woodstock when they recorded with Bob Dylan and I remember making a pilgrimage in the woods to the famous Pink House recording studio. My town looked good in this light and felt more rural than Suburban. The band sounded good and I looked around at the faces listening. A sullen teenage boy wearing a Volkswagen Rabbit T-shirt next to his mom who was grooving along with the music. A silver ponytailed Boomer grinning from ear to ear and a young Dad and his daughter whose hair was shaved on one side. They were holding hands and when the song was over he gently suggested that they let go to clap. But she didn't want to and he didn't insist. I clapped along with the others then walked away slowly to watch the sun's final act before it disappeared below the curved outline of the mountain. I was in no rush to get home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWu-f7HFFJE