Chasing Down The Muse: ‘Magical mystery tour’ comes to a close

Celebrations. Beatles, birthdays, Woodstock, summer’s end — August has been quite the month. The recent Beatles Day at the Sawdust Art Festival was a tremendous day, filled with music, laughter, and lots of people.

One of those people is our fictitious artist from earlier in the summer. The last time we saw him was just before Fourth of July. He has been very busy all summer and we have not heard from him since. Evidently, hearing so much of the music in one day, in one place, has inspired our intrepid artist to show his face — or pen — once again. And this time more of his personal life comes into play, as this series of letters between Maxwell and his love will convey:

DEAR PRUDENCE,

GOOD DAY, SUNSHINE. Lately, it seems as if it’s EIGHT DAYS A WEEK that I’m here at the festival grounds. IT WON’T BE LONG now, though. ALL I’VE GOT TO DO is hang in a few more days and I’ll be FREE AS A BIRD.

End of the show is always pretty HELTER SKELTER, but we all have to CARRY THAT WEIGHT ‘til the very end…just a bit longer. WHAT GOES ON in these last days can be like a small REVOLUTION, but we always get through it.

I’M SO TIRED — we all are. I’M ONLY SLEEPING a few hours so at times I’M DOWN, but THE END of all this is near, YES IT IS.

ALL THINGS MUST PASS and THE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR of the 2009 festival season will soon be YESTERDAY.

While I am working hard here, it CAN’T BUY ME LOVE. Only you give me that and I DIG IT. I can’t wait for you to GET BACK, Pru.

Love you, Maxwell

Dear Maxwell,

BABY, IT’S YOU. I too can’t wait for summer’s end. IT WON’T BE ANY TIME AT ALL now and I’LL BE BACK in your arms. And I agree, Max, BABY, YOU’RE A RICH MAN when we are together. It’s the LOVE OF THE LOVED when we are with each other. Soon, dear.

Love, Pru

GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING, Pru,

THANK YOU, GIRL for your letters and always being there for me. Sometimes I feel like THE FOOL ON THE HILL for thinking ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE and that we could all COME TOGETHER. Just when I think I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, though, YOU TELL ME WHY I believe. Your REAL LOVE is so special to me. THAT MEANS A LOT. I’ve GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE. It’s A HARD DAY’S NIGHT, all this working, when I WANNA BE YOUR MAN and be with you. ANOTHER GIRL just won’t do for me.

I’ve got to get back to work with my silver hammer now, GIRL, and make more things to sell. IN SPITE OF ALL THE DANGER of caring, I’VE GOT A FEELING this will be a great weekend. And then it will be over and we will be together, love. THIS BOY can hardly wait.

Love, Maxwell

Maxwell, Dear,

OH, DARLING! I so look forward to WHEN I GET HOME. IT’S ALL TOO MUCH to take in. YOU LIKE ME TOO MUCH. But, then HONEY PIE, I NEED YOU, too. When I wake from my GOLDEN SLUMBERS where I CALL YOUR NAME, LIKE DREAMERS DO, I cannot imagine A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE…especially yours.

BABY, IT’S YOU. I can hardly wait ‘til your festival sojourn is done and I am back there so you can HOLD ME TIGHT. I’LL BE ON MY WAY in no time down THE LONG WINDING ROAD ACROSS THE UNIVERSE to you.

DON’T EVER CHANGE, dear Maxwell.

Love, Your Prudence.

HELLO, LITTLE GIRL,

Just two more days. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE back to me, Pru. Summer’s nearly ended. I’M GLAD ALL OVER. We will dance the SAVOY TRUFFLE, eat WILD HONEY PIE, listen to A SHOT OF RHYTHM AND BLUES…anything you want. COME AND GET IT! I NEED YOU…now!

Love, Maxwell

P.S.. I LOVE YOU

And, thus another festival season draws to an end and we move into the joys of autumn. Our tired, but wildly in love, artist Maxwell and his love Prudence will be back together, we’ll get our streets and beaches back to enjoy at leisure. Until next time...

CHERRIL DOTY is an award-winning writer, artist, and creative coach exploring and enjoying the many mysteries of life in the moment. She can be reached by e-mail at cherril@cherrildoty.com or by phone at (714) 745-9973.