Bethesda Fountain
I spent an afternoon painting at Bethesda Terrace. The leaves were changing colors. Carlos was playing classical guitar beneath the arcade. Soon Rima arrived to sing with him. She brought sheet music. They practiced songs for a performance they would be filming next week. They cycled through standards and show tunes. A couple started to dance to the music.
“Did you know Carlos gives dance lessons?” Rima said. “I was once a dancer! I was 18 years old, young and skinny. We played in a casino in the Bahamas. It was fun, but not for me. I went right from tits and ass to playing a nun in The Sound of Music. Touring the country. Carlos, when this pandemic is over I want to take dance classes with you!”
Their friend Carole arrived. She was at the park taking pictures. They started in on one of my favorite songs from My Fair Lady. “I have often walked, down this street before...” I sang along. “Let the time go by, I don’t care if I — can be here on the street where you live.”
Eventually Carlos packed up his guitar. I climbed the Terrace steps to try another painting. The music continued. Water flowing. Birds calling. Runners listening to motivational workouts. Skateboards rolling on asphalt. Tourists haggling with a rickshaw driver. Someone singing pop songs acapella. Soon new songs resonated from the arcade, six strings of a guitar replaced by two strings of an erhu.