The Streets of Philadelphia

The jazz fusion beat has been playing sporadically on my mind eversince I came back from Philadelphia. 

And I'm a player from the streets of Philadelphia

And now my sound is round and deep and brown and blue sometimes..

Stanley Clarke is the composer of the song that has been playing in my head. Another song with the same title   is the theme song of Philadelphia, the movie. The movie is where Tom Hanks dies of AIDS. He and Denzel Washington both play lawyers in the movie. Tom Hanks is the aggrieved party, having  been fired by his prestigious law firm when it is discovered that he has AIDS.   Tom Hanks dies in the movie and Denzel Washington has always been a favorite actor.

My fascination on Philadelphia goes back to the time when I first saw the  movie in the mid 90's while working in Saudi Arabia. Part of the fascination must have come from listening to jazz music. The song by Stanley Clarke sort of represent how I envisioned Philadelphia: deep, colorful and distinct like a jazz fusion beat.

“Are you a sister?”

I knew the gentleman street pastor was asking if  I am a Jehovah’s Witness myself.
“I am not sure,” I replied.

I wanted to confess to him that I am a member of an LGBT community in San Diego and Pride Week is the only occasion I celebrate. May Jehovah, peace be unto him, be the witness!
His sisters graciously posed with Ate Guy. I became the witness as well  the photographer.

Black lives matter in Philadelphia. Their friendly disposition seem to add to the pleasant atmosphere of the city. Even Moses, our Über guy is  for me a part of the pleasant experience Ate Guy and I had in Philadelphia. Moses who said he came from West Africa must have been a buffalo soldier in his younger days.
Stolen from Africa
Brought to America
Fighting on arrival
Fighting for survival….

Ate Guy and I may have missed seeing  the famous Liberty Bell,  racing on Rocky Balboa's  steps and being face to face with Rocky Balboa., is that you? But we didn't miss our train for DC at the 30th Street Union Station.