My free concert experience

To my dear Blog--I need someone to talk to.  Here is my story.

This weekend was the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park.  Since I haven't been able to attend the many community events in my neighborhood in the past months since I started this blog, I decided it was my duty to experience this free concert.  I love music and singing, and I thought bluegrass was something I would enjoy.  After I sang in the choir this morning, I left my car in front of church and walked a short distance to th 41st Avenue Entrance.   

It was a warm, sunny day after the fog burned off and the park was especially beautiful.  As I headed up the paved path crunching on fallen euchalyptus leaves, I could hear the water rushing in the pond next to me.  The branches of the trees hung over the road giving a feeling of protection.  Younger people were passing me by since I must have been walking slowly, but I eventually reached the Polo field.  I could hear two sets of bands, so I was undecided which way to go.  I followed other people up a path, which brought me to a garbage dump--it was all the garbage from the festival, neatly sorted and packed into recycling, compost, and garbage, but there was a horrible stench.  I covered my nose and thought how horrible and wasteful our society is, producing so much garbage.

I came upon one of the six band sites--it was the "Arrow Stage", and the meadow below was enmassed with bodies listening to the "Devil Makes Three."  I was up on a ridge looking through a chain-linked fence, so I could hardly make out the musicians playing.  I concentrated on the crowd, which resembled a living entity of round bobbles in bright colors bouncing up and down to the beat of the music.  It sounded like bluegrass, since they were playing banjos and the singing was a bit grungy.

Next, I walked up the path and out to Kennedy Drive where most of the bands were.  I heard that the "Blind Boys of Alabama" were playing at the Bango Stage, so I went there not knowing anything about this band.  Their name sounded bluegrassy.  I was wrong--they were more gospel or something and apparently well-known and won a lot of awards.  I stood there for over an hour.  At first I wanted to leave, but with each song I felt compelled to stay.  I even sang with them and swayed to the beat. The crowd below was quiet at first, but at the end, the whole field was jumping with hands waving over head as these "blind boys" played very intense sounds for over 15 minutes. 

I continued up the drive to the next stage which was small--the Porch stage.  Just a few people were watching, and the band looked like one I'd like to hear.  They were the Swanson Family Band from Florida.  I really enjoyed their down-home music and was planning to stay.  All of a sudden I had an urge to check for my keys to my car.  I looked into my purse and there were the keys, but no wallet.  I was in shock--everything seemed irrelevant.  I looked around in disbelief, but no wallet.  I kept opening my purse, checking the pockets and just couldn't understand what had happened, so I decided I'd better leave.  I called my husband to tell him and to have him put a stop on my debit card, and then I started walking the twenty blocks back to 41st Avenue.  I passed lots of people who seemed to be having fun--families with kids, babies, and dogs; old guys with beards ; girls in hippy dresses, police officers standing in groups watching the crowds.  The bands kept playing as I walked by, but it all seemed so unimportant now.  I felt so stupid that my purse was gone and while I was walking, I tried to rehash what I had been through.  I decided I must have been pick-pocketed (or purse-pocketed), but I couldn't remember at what moment my purse suddenly became lighter. 

Anyway, it's over.  My husband was upset with me, but he did fix things by calling the credit card company and making the police report.  My son told me not to dwell on it, but to learn from this mistake.  My other son said he was sorry and wished he had been with me.  I did decide to change the way I do things:

1)  Only bring what's necessary with me in the way of credit cards and I.D.
2)  Act like I'm traveling and wear my important stuff on my body.
3)  Make a list of all the numbers on my cards.
4)  Go to festivals with someone else.
5)  Be mindful.

I think I should also stick to performances at the Opera, Symphony, Ballet, and S.F. Performances. 

Thank you for listening.