gerisullivan | "When all of our lives were entwined to begin with..."

Pre-dawn Easter morn 32 years ago in the all-night music party at Minicon 17, Reed Waller pulled out a Michael Smith song I knew and loved from Josh White, Jr's performances of it back in East Lansing...and I knew I'd found home. Here's Michael performing it live halfway between then and now:

I came late to the Grateful Dead, so that same night when I joined the room of fans singing along with the chorus as

fredcritter sang "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo," the words seemed nonsensical and I struggled to remember whether "Half-Step" came before "Mississippi" or "Toodeloo" Sure did like the tune, and the sense of community and belonging Fred and the assembled created as he played it. And it tweaked my curiosity. There was clearly much to learn as well as beloved music I could anchor to.

Nate Bucklin broke a string, left the room to replace it, and came back with the announcement that he'd written a song while he was gone. He then played it.

An hour or so later, the same thing happened again. The crowd roared with laughter when Nate said he's written another song. I was new to the group and figured this was a long-established schtick. It took a few years for me to realize just how utterly credible and true it was that Nate wrote two songs that night while changing strings. Songs he didn't stumble over when then playing them for the audience minutes after creating them.

Steve Sullivan and I only stayed at the Downtown Raddish (with its marvelous consuite) for one night, Friday, at our first Minicon. He found the music party Friday night and came back to our room with the news that it was happening again Saturday night. We both went, and drove home as the sun was rising and church-goers were rushing to their own religious ceremonies that Easter morn.

We looked at each other and smiled, recognizing we were coming home from ours. Heck, we even said it.

That night was one of a handful of key events that brought me to fandom, that led to my becoming a fan at Chicon IV. There was a vitally important music party there, too. (L&K,

dr_whuh &

kaffyr.)

And now? These 32 years later? The morning's still "heavy, with one more beginning, here in Spoon River."

Love to Minicon, love to fandom. Then, now, and forevermore.