Pine Creek Diary January 2017

     Today, I heard “Air on a G String” on the radio.  Even on this bright winter morning with the sun reflecting off the snow, I was instantly transported to Meme and Papa’s living room in the 1950’s.  It would have been 7:00 PM.  I know this because this Bach piece was the theme song of the classical music broadcast from the Washington State College radio station in Pullman.  Uncle Bud always turned it on, probably not just for the classical music but also to remind him of his days at WSC.

     He and I might be sitting at the grandparents’ round oak table engaged in a game of Chinese checkers.  The subdued light from the table lamp illuminated the board just enough to distinguish the blue marbles from the green ones.  Papa would be sitting in his chair by the fire reading the latest Saturday Evening Post while Meme bustled in the kitchen, tidying up after dinner and fixing each of us a cup of Nestles hot chocolate made rich with canned condensed milk. 
This classical music coming from the Hallicrafters Sky Buddy was new to me (Mom preferred the country sounds of Eddie Arnold or Red Foley), but the soft classical instrumental pieces captured my heart and influenced my musical tastes for the rest of my life.

     Now, whenever I hear this wonderful Bach Air I experience again the warmth and love that always enfolded me in that tiny log cabin when, in the company of Uncle Bud and Meme and Papa, I knew that no harm could ever befall me.