Hugh Manatee

To new friends, I share this story about Hugh Manatee:

Humanity had been the object of discussion this week. How to reclaim it, how to become fully human, how to speak human again.

It’s been an amazing few days making new friends from all over the country and all over the world at Humana. Thanks to all who participated, volunteered, gave their time, sleep, money, and sleep to be here. You were a part of questions being answered, and new questions I am asking.

Following an amazing evening at the World Music Jam at Erik’s on Eola, I headed to Taste at College Park to meetup with my friend Sean to see our old band’s drummer. Drummer Pat, as we call him, is incredibly talented musician who now rocks in a jam band called Brother Bean.

Sean and I grabbed a glass of wine and stepped into Taste’s music room. The lights, the music, the vibe - the Vox Underground MUST emerge here, I thought…

Inspired, I decided to snap a shot of the ambiance with my camera phone - only to find that too much memory had already been taken… damn- I would have to delete on the spot.

As I began to clear space, I felt a tap on my shoulder. An older man - portly, grey hair and bushy eyebrows was looking at me. If I were to dress him, I would put him in a three piece pinstripe suit - complete with pocket watch and long chain. Instead, he dressed himself in a black concert tee and knitted rastafarian hat. We had the following brief conversation in the midst of blaring jam band music:

Old guy: “Tell them I’m here” (pointing to my phone)

Me: “No problem - what’s your name?”

Old guy: “Hugh”

Me: “What?”

Old guy: “Hugh… Hugh Manatee”

**music playing, me stunned**

Old guy: “Tell them Humanity is HERE”

Me (stunned): “No problem!”

So, there it is fellow Vox’ers. Humanity was there in that beautiful mess. There was humanity - and Hugh Manatee wants you to know it.