Monday, January 21, 2019

Realms Beyond (Rescued Photo)


A few months ago I received two boxes of my dad's old photographs, sent to me by my cousin Rori Kates. Many photos were unfamiliar, and they unlocked many small mysteries, mostly about identities of relatives, the places or years the photos were taken. But this photo was different. I didn’t remember this photo and had no idea about the location or the event. But in many ways, the image it wasn’t surprising at all and I loved it so I started to try to unravel the mystery. 

What is not surprising about the picture is that my father is playing a musical instrument. He played piano by ear, in a style that sounds a lot like Duke Ellington. He also played the accordion, the ukulele, and almost any other instrument, including the organ, but he couldn’t read music at all.  So why the sheet music if my father is at the keyboard? The title on the sheet music is "Regions Beyond," a spiritual. (I Googled it.)  So why is this Jewish man who can’t read music sitting at an organ with sheet music for a Christian gospel song? 

Standing at the organ are four African-American young ladies — I would guess perhaps 11 or 12 years old — holding the same sheet music and apparently singing. They are dressed in matching blouses, ties, and skirts. Was this a rehearsal for a special event of some kind, maybe even some kind of interfaith or civil rights event? From my dad's looks, I would guess this was taken in the 1960s which we be the right time. . .

I see a cross on the bench behind one of the girls. Is this is a church? Could this have been at one of the AME churches in Pueblo? But what was the connection? My dad was a furniture salesman in a family-owned store, so he met a lot of people. (He spoke Spanish and became the go-to-guy for Spanish-speaking customers). Did he make this connection through the synagogue? Chess club? Bowling league? I have no idea. 

And who took the photo? At first I assumed that the photo was taken by my uncle Ike Fitterman, a local photographer in Pueblo. But my husband suggested that perhaps this was a new newspaper photo. So far I haven’t been able to find out whether that’s true. 

So wild guesses and many unknowns.  I will try to discover more information. But what I already know for sure is that my father was a gentle and open and loving person.  He was talented and generous with that talent. He tried to do the right thing. I also know that his quiet examples had lasting power. 

So on the day we honor the memory of Dr. MartinLuther King Jr., I am posting this photo of my father. I know he would have liked that. He kept this photo for years and it must have been important to him.

We look to great national leaders like Dr Martin Luther King for moral leadership. And If we are very lucky, we also find good examples close to home. 


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