Wednesday

(Ahem...) On this date forty years ago (that's right, 40), the picture below was taken.


Assuming you were born by then, can you recall where YOU were on Feb. 5, 1963?

I can. I was about as young as the kids in the picture, but instead of freewheelin' through the Village, "Assistant Dean Riffles" (that's how I was known in those days) was out breaking up a snowball fight between Rodney Duke and Robby Cahill, two of the more notable "boys" at Newton Academy for Boys.

Here's how I looked later that year (Spring).



Note the contrast with Dylan, who is full of spritely presence, forward energy, lightness, THE MOMENT, ready to spring like a gazelle into his future.

"Asst. Dean Riffles," by comparison, is all morose self-absorption, and yes, loneliness (where's the girl? There wasn't one).

So you see me above as I was in '63, age 26—without the slightest clue what was in the cards for "Assistant Dean Riffles." In my world, it was still 1958 and would be forever.

Even though. . . I was the same man who, within 3 years, would be. . . THIS MAN!




The mystery of history. Ain't it grand?