I did find while dwelling briefly in this land that I was a bit more relaxed and I wanted to sing along with the folks wandering by the record store. I would love to see an age of Aquarius arrive as at least a partial antidote to the stress I am likely to experience in my journey to the other three lands. But time is short, and I do need to travel on toward Irony.
I pause for a moment before moving on. I’m not sure why I have begun this journey. Couldn’t I remain unreflective and enjoy the moment of bliss–as apparently is the case with most of the lotus-eaters in Alpha? But what happens when, like the flower children of the 1960s, the Alphians have to return home to one of the other lands? Or do they stay on the streets of San Francisco?
Beta: Land of the True-Believers [Irony-Aversive]
As I enter the Land of Beta, I am drawn to the sounds of a big brass band. It is hard to avoid these sounds, for they are being piped through loudspeakers located on each street corner in this carefully laid out city. I find that the actual sounds of the band are coming from a large boulevard located a couple of blocks from where I have landed.
Exploring Beta
I walk to this boulevard and find many people assembled on the sidewalks, watching a very large marching band that fills the boulevard, accompanied by many people who are marching alongside or behind the band. There is a parade!! (the second ‘P”) The band is playing “76 Trombones” from Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man. There actually seems to be 76 trombone players marching beside an equal number of trumpeters, along with a half dozen tuba players, and a host of drummers and other brass and woodwind instrumentalists. A host of baton twirlers and many, many flags accompany the band.
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