Menasha
You know, you live your life and all you can hope for is that you learn something new every day. Today definitely qualifies. Today I learned that the woman who introduced me to the Dead, almost thirty years ago, went on to have Jerry's love child. Oh yes, life is freaky. Here's the story.
Many years ago, after discovering the Dead, I noticed a little blurb on the back of Live/Dead about joining the Grateful Dead Fan Club. So, I sent off some letter and many months later received a letter offering me the chance to see the Dead at some tiny club, like 300 people or something. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance and was soon seeing the Dead at their best.
I really should look this up in my journal somehow, if I could remember exactly when/where this all was, cause, it would be a hoot. Anyway, best I can remember, this woman in "Menonite" sort of Amish garb, introduced herself, we made friends, and she somehow mysteriously led me to the Dead. By some miracle that can only be described as a spiritual divining rod, or scary fanaticism, we arrived at their suite.
Bill Kreutzman answered and Menasha seemed to sort of know him, something about making love to Jerry the previous night. Anyway, we hung out with the band that night, got high, I mean you can only imagine what a blast it was to party all night with the Dead, particularly after just seeing them play, practically in my face. All of them were there, except Jerry. Unfortunately, to the bane of my existence, Jerry was sick that night, so sick in fact that the show the next night, at Meadowlands, had to be cancelled after the crowd had been let in. What a let down, I've never seen such downed Deadheads.
Anyway, back at the suite, Bill asked us to stay over but I felt more comfortable sleeping in my car. Menasha stayed over and told me the next morning that Bill came out during the night and scared her off. So, end of story.... until tonight, when I went out with a guy who's worked for Bill Graham Presents for 22 years. We were talking about Jerry and how bad it got with the drugs and how all the hippie do your own thing types around him stayed silent, and he goes..." the one period of Jerry's life when he was clean was when he was with this woman Menasha".
What did I learn? This was more than some crazed fan I ran across that night, as we blazed through the darkness, talking about our mutual fascination with Jerry Garcia. This woman has his child, and has made a huge impact on his life. She started out as someone who was simply absorbed with him, but had the capacity to ultimately understand him and get through to a man who no one else got through to. None of his bandmates, not Caroline, his kids.... no one but Menasha got him happy enough to give up the drugs he was so helplessly addicted to. How does a guy, who is loved, adored, by millions get to crack cocaine? How is it, with all that love, no one loved him enough to elevate him beyond the drugs.... except Menasha.
It really makes you ask a lot of questions about what is love, what is music, what is drugs... what is it we really want and need? Is it the devotion of someone who loves us truly and completely for who we really are? I'm glad Jerry was smart enough to let Menasha in his life. Did I meet the eventual true love of Jerry's life that night? I believe I did.
Looks like Mountain Girl's gonna be Jerry's Yoko though. She's collaborating with the production company that just optioned two books on his life to produce a biopic. Menasha, my guess is that you were far more focused on Jerry than having your story told. But I would love to hear your story and have another late night car ride with you.
Thanks for what you did for Jerry. There are probably lots more people who got to hear his music because of you. I got to meet the Dead because of you. Maybe you were the one person who understood what it's like to carry a burden like he carried. He was an artist, a free spirit, but he had direct responsibility for the livelihoods of hundreds and felt a great need to address the millions of people who wanted to see him perform.
Many years ago, after discovering the Dead, I noticed a little blurb on the back of Live/Dead about joining the Grateful Dead Fan Club. So, I sent off some letter and many months later received a letter offering me the chance to see the Dead at some tiny club, like 300 people or something. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance and was soon seeing the Dead at their best.
I really should look this up in my journal somehow, if I could remember exactly when/where this all was, cause, it would be a hoot. Anyway, best I can remember, this woman in "Menonite" sort of Amish garb, introduced herself, we made friends, and she somehow mysteriously led me to the Dead. By some miracle that can only be described as a spiritual divining rod, or scary fanaticism, we arrived at their suite.
Bill Kreutzman answered and Menasha seemed to sort of know him, something about making love to Jerry the previous night. Anyway, we hung out with the band that night, got high, I mean you can only imagine what a blast it was to party all night with the Dead, particularly after just seeing them play, practically in my face. All of them were there, except Jerry. Unfortunately, to the bane of my existence, Jerry was sick that night, so sick in fact that the show the next night, at Meadowlands, had to be cancelled after the crowd had been let in. What a let down, I've never seen such downed Deadheads.
Anyway, back at the suite, Bill asked us to stay over but I felt more comfortable sleeping in my car. Menasha stayed over and told me the next morning that Bill came out during the night and scared her off. So, end of story.... until tonight, when I went out with a guy who's worked for Bill Graham Presents for 22 years. We were talking about Jerry and how bad it got with the drugs and how all the hippie do your own thing types around him stayed silent, and he goes..." the one period of Jerry's life when he was clean was when he was with this woman Menasha".
What did I learn? This was more than some crazed fan I ran across that night, as we blazed through the darkness, talking about our mutual fascination with Jerry Garcia. This woman has his child, and has made a huge impact on his life. She started out as someone who was simply absorbed with him, but had the capacity to ultimately understand him and get through to a man who no one else got through to. None of his bandmates, not Caroline, his kids.... no one but Menasha got him happy enough to give up the drugs he was so helplessly addicted to. How does a guy, who is loved, adored, by millions get to crack cocaine? How is it, with all that love, no one loved him enough to elevate him beyond the drugs.... except Menasha.
It really makes you ask a lot of questions about what is love, what is music, what is drugs... what is it we really want and need? Is it the devotion of someone who loves us truly and completely for who we really are? I'm glad Jerry was smart enough to let Menasha in his life. Did I meet the eventual true love of Jerry's life that night? I believe I did.
Looks like Mountain Girl's gonna be Jerry's Yoko though. She's collaborating with the production company that just optioned two books on his life to produce a biopic. Menasha, my guess is that you were far more focused on Jerry than having your story told. But I would love to hear your story and have another late night car ride with you.
Thanks for what you did for Jerry. There are probably lots more people who got to hear his music because of you. I got to meet the Dead because of you. Maybe you were the one person who understood what it's like to carry a burden like he carried. He was an artist, a free spirit, but he had direct responsibility for the livelihoods of hundreds and felt a great need to address the millions of people who wanted to see him perform.
posted by Intervision at 9:46 AM
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