Jerry Garcia died on 9 August 1995. I had seen him live in concert three times. Twice with the Grateful Dead (one of those times with Bob Dylan) and once with The Jerry Garcia Band.
But in the fall of 1993 I actually met Jerry. Sort of.
I was working at Saul Zaentz's Fantasy Studios building in Berkeley (I had just graduated from Cal). Walking out of the building I saw Jerry in the parking lot who was entering. I had met famous people prior to this. But in my experience so far, while they like compliments, they also want to get on with their lives.
As he passes, I say, “Hey! I dig your music. I’ve seen you live a few times.” He says thanks and asks something. I mention how The Dead were really big at my high school.
“Oh Really, where are you from?” Jerry asks.
“I grew up in Princeton, NJ.” I reply
“Oh, really. Yeah I got busted in New Jersey once.” Jerry says. I am a little flabbergasted. I didn’t expect to still be here. I thought it would be over by now. “The whole thing was a circus with the press and the judge. I had to buy the DA a Mercedes, but I eventually got off.”
“And I’m sure the world of music was happier as a result.” I quip, not knowing what to say.
“I don’t know about the world of rock music. But I was a lot happier!” Jerry notices that I am carrying a few rolls of film. They were scratched prints of film trailers I found in the trash. One of them was for the movie Last Action Hero. “Are you a filmmaker?” Jerry asks.
I didn’t know how to reply to this question. Partly because it was unexpected. And while I had made some shorts in video and 16mm, I did not really feel comfortable calling myself a filmmaker. “Cause you know I’m a filmmaker too.” Jerry adds. I remember having heard something about Jerry making his own films. I mutter some kind of half assed reply and get out of there.
After I leave, I realize what just happened. I was so pre-programmed with the belief that he would just want a quick, “Hi. Hello. Thanks” based on all my previous celebrity encounters - that I was not able to comprehend that maybe he wasn’t busy and did have time to chat and was interested in talking to me. It never even entered my mind as a possibility.
Even my quip about “the world of rock music.” I was talking to him like a rock star and he was talking to me like a human being. Jerry Garcia wanted to have an actual conversation with me! And I blew it. Damn.
Two years later he was gone. I learned an important lesson, but I still wonder what would have happened if I had been able to expect the unexpected.
Part II coming soon...
.
No comments:
Post a Comment