9/11
in Paradise
I was veggin' last night
about 11:00 PM when I came across an interesting documentary on
the September 11th surprise attack. I knew better then to watch
this intense of a subject just prior to bedtime, but I watched
anyway. When I went to bed a few hours later it was not
surprising that I had restless sleep and disturbing dreams.
September 11th always brings back my own experiences with that
day in 2001.
Long before Sleep CD's I had
a life. Long before alcohol dependent sleep disorder, lawsuits,
my girlfriend's leukemia, eventual financial ruin, and
quasi-homelessness I made a living that afforded small luxuries
such as vacations. In September of 2001 my then girlfriend and I
jetted off to a much needed break on the island of Maui. This
would end up being a healthy vacation for me as I shed 15 pounds
in 10 days by eating well and walking... and walking... and
walking. We had rented a condo in Kihie, a kind of middle
class vacation spot in paradise, just a hundred yards from the
beach. From our lanai I could just see Maalea Bay. Not being a
rich man, and on very short notice, that was the best I could
do. One lazy afternoon I sat on that lanai and watched the
airliners lumber into and out of paradise via the Kahalui
airport just to the north of us. There was the scent of flowers
in the air and a Don HO recording wafted in and out of earshot.
Distant laughter was heard and someone's not-so-distant barbeque
pumped out sweet smells like an Apache sending happy smoke
signals. All was right with the world.
I was tired, with all the
walking and more walking, and found myself barely able to keep
my eyes open. Suddenly I saw it. It was an airliner that had
veered off course. It was heading right towards our condo. I
jumped up and tried to find my girlfriend but could not. Turning
back around I could see the nose of the giant aircraft bearing
down on me. I jerked opened my eyes while simultaneously jumping
to my feet. There was Don HO again... and smell barbeque pork.
All was right with the world. It was just a daydream.
That was September 9th,
2001... and its absolutely true.
Two days later I sat
transfixed, like many Americans, and watched the whole event
unfold live on television. We had been up late that night
preparing for our journey home and caught the very beginnings of
the carnage. It was 8:46 AM New York time... 1:46 AM
Hawaiian time. We did not sleep all night.
It is interesting to note
that I had been in the World Trade Center almost three years
earlier... to the day. Another story for another time.
Obviously we did not fly back
to LA the next afternoon... or the next. Our vacation was
artificially extended for four days and I quickly found out that
the 'Aloha Spirit' only goes so far as our condo rental agency
tried to financially stick it to us on the unexpected layover.
We eventually found a nice little hotel that had actually
slashed their prices to accommodate the travelers in limbo. So,
in retrospect, I guess the mythical Aloha Spirit was alive and
well in some people.
I was convinced by my
daydream that a door to an ocean of cosmic consciousness exists
somewhere in the Theta (daydream) brainwave state. Events, both
previous and future, splash into this vast sea and send
concentric waves of energy propagating through time and into
countless minds like a pebble tossed into a pond. Interpreting
these natural signals is the work of the enlightened.
Maybe someday I will count
myself amongst the spiritually enlightened but for now I just
make sleep CD's.
Brad McBride
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