We are oddly comforted to learn that two of America’s founders, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, held alternative visions for the nation. Jefferson espoused small towns with plenty of space to nurture independence, while Hamilton preferred urbanism to promote progress and prosperity. Realizing that we have been arguing the same arguments and fearing the same demons throughout history gives us the courage to go on, when it seems like we’re all going to melt or blow up by next week. The topic of the next Intergenerational Panel tonight, Wednesday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. at Holley Court Terrace, 1111 Ontario St. (848-5251), is “Do You Want to Live in a Land of Trees … or Towers … or Both?”
We’re not going to the panel because we can’t stand conflict, unless it’s on a spy show with sexy disguises where the only people who die are strangers. We’re going instead to the Taize prayer service at St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church, 38 N. Austin Blvd. (386-8077). We’re worn out by thinking, which happens periodically, and we need soothing, repetitive singing to quiet all our issues without plaguing us with thorny theological questions. If you see us there, please don’t greet us. We will be trying to pretend that people don’t really exist.
It looks like we’re going to have to go to Magic Tree Bookstore, 141 N. Oak Park Ave., on Tuesday, June 26, at 1 p.m. to make a cloak (848-0770). We can’t for the life of us find that darn purple feathered tulle cape we were planning on wearing for the Harry Potter book release celebrations on July 20, and we can’t flit around sans cloak, can we? We last saw it in the children’s costume box, which only goes to show once again that costumes, like life, are wasted on the young.