Simple Pleasures

It was refreshing to end up in Milk River the other day, as I enjoyed an exceptional performance of "The Sound of Music." I shared the evening with a number of other Foremostians, some of whom I brought along. It was also one of those Thursday evening outings for the Foremost Seniors. I love those outings, not because I qualify, but because I feel so young when I am around them. Usually when I am in a crowd of people (read: twelve-year-olds) I am seen as the same age as their grandparents. (Thanks a lot, kids.) Meanwhile, back to Austria, er, Milk River. Though I am a fairly typical male, I do like musicals, such as "The Music Man," "Fiddler on the Roof," and of, course, the afore-mentioned, "The Sound of Music." You have heard me rant about the declension of our culture, ad nauseam, in this column before, so I won¹t raise your hackles once more. But I would suggest to you that perhaps the best moral barometer of a culure gone south is its arts - its music, art, dance, stage, and entertainment. If I am wrong, I am not far off. Thus, when people put out $15, only an hour or two of driving (there and back), then can sit back and enjoy almost three hours of good, clean, wholesome entertainment (sans a smooch here or there in the gazebo), I think that¹s money and time well invested. Was this Hollywood? No. Did I see Brad Pitt? No. Did Celine Dion sing? No. It was just a nice, stimulating yet unoffensive evening (yes, that can happen), that I could spend with family and friends. Nothing raunchy, raucous, or risque. I am not sure if I want to head back to the '40s, when, on a Sunday evening, the family (you know, Mr. and Mrs, Beaver and their little Beavers) would gather around the radio in the livingroom, listening to Jack Benny or The Shadow. But I do want to encourage the readers of this column, and perhaps even some actors and directors who might sneak a peek here now and then, to bring back good, wholesome stage productions to our small communities. Methinks we are too sophisticated for our own good. Many have lost the art of going for a walk, playing games with family and friends, reading a good book, and simply enjoying an unencumbered life. These are things I have tried inculcate into my own family. I'm not sure how successful I have been, so I don't want to sound too arrogant. We need to start developing these interests in our kids when they are young, so when they get older they can continue to enjoy them with us. It would be both good for them and good for us. Trouble is, are there any of these great productions within driving distance anymore? One day, I hope to hear that the coulees are alive with the sound of music.