On Wednesday night, I went to the First Parish Church in Harvard Square in Cambridge to see Art Garfunkel interviewed about his memoir What Is It All But Luminous Notes From An Underground Man.
This wasn't the first time I've seen Garfunkel perform. I saw him in a solo concert at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston in April 2007. What I remember most from that show wasn't anything he sang but rather his declaration that reading a poem was a dangerous thing in George W. Bush's America. This was, of course, utter nonsense. I wrote an article about it. Alas it is disappeared into the cyber ether.
It's probably just as well. Time to move on and agree to disagree.
Garfunkel was interviewed by Jared Bowen, the host of WGBH's Open Studios. He told Bowen that he hasn't spoken to Paul Simon in over a year and that this is the longest they have gone without talking to each other ever. But Garfunkel added that something spontaneous could always bring them back together. He read an excerpt from his book which asked the question which of them would deliver the eulogy at the other's funeral.
His voice sound smokier and raspier than I had remembered it. As it turned out, Garfunkel lost his voice after a European tour with Paul Simon at the beginning of the decade. I recall that my younger brother Micah was supposed to see them in concert at around that time when he was living in Nova Scotia and that concert was cancelled. That would certainly explain things.
I have read and heard things about Garfunkel being difficult with reporters and rather odd in his behavior and personal habits. But the Art Garfunkel I saw was in good spirits and seemed to enjoy talking to his audience including myself. When Garfunkel saw me approach the mike he said, "You look like a very happy person." "Well, I'm happy to be here."
And why wouldn't I be? Even if while waiting in line I had learned I would not be landing a job I interviewed for last week. That battle could be fought another day. I had a story to tell and this was probably the best chance I had to tell it. I recounted an exchange between my Dad and I (which I describe in my 2011 American Spectator review of Paul Simon's concert at the House of Blues in Boston.) I was visiting my Dad in New York and we were watching a Yankees game at which Simon & Garfunkel were in attendance. I told Garfunkel, "My Dad, who was born the same year as you and Paul, said, 'They look like two old Jews.' The audience burst out laughing. While they laughed, Artie said, "This story I got to hear." I then added my retort. "Dad, they are two old Jews!!!"
More laughter.
I told Garfunkel I was inspired to start a list of books I had read after seeing his list of every book he has read since November 1968. Garfunkel said he started this list while filming Catch-22 to pass the time. Some of those books were baseball books and I asked Garfunkel if he had a favorite baseball book. He said his favorite was The Game From Where I Stand by former MLB outfielder turned broadcaster Doug Glanville (which I have read as well). This prompted him to stand up and describe a passage in the book in which Glanville if because of an argument with your wife you are slightly off focus by a tenth of a second is the difference between success and failure in baseball. As he described this passage, he pantomimed swinging a bat. Following our exchange I told him, "Keep swinging Artie."
Garfunkel is supposed to return to Boston in a month to do two shows at the newly opened City Winery near the TD Garden. Given the warmth of our exchange I am sorely tempted to see him again. I don't know if he'll remember me if he sees me. But I'll remember how my words got him to stand up and swing. These days I need all the warm memories I can carry with me.
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