Purple Rain in BookThree: Flight Log 2016

I wasn’t really going to do a Prince entry. But over the last several hours… I can’t not.

Prince was more than just the soundtrack to Batman (1989). But he was that, as well. “Trust” and “Partyman” are as intrinsically necessary to my thoughts on that movie as Nicholson and Keaton. Prince was more than the opening song to “Delirious” with John Candy. But he was that, as well. Setting the right tone to a movie that under performed but still stands up today; like many of Prince’s albums.

When I first downloaded Pandora, the first station I created was Michael Jackson/Prince. Because those two artists were essential elements of my daily listening.

But for me, Prince was even more than all of that.

September 11, 2001 is a day that all Americans alive at the time should remember. People argue with this characterization: but I truly believe 9/11 was the closest thing to a Pearl Harbor my generation has ever had. People usually ask “What were you doing when you first heard?” Or “How did you cope at the time?” But people often gloss over the fact that the events of the day didn’t just have an impact on the moments… the entire day was a dark cloud of fear, sorrow, and impotent fury. It isn’t just… where were you wen you heard… it is how did you spend that day… that evening. And that is where Prince comes in for me.

I worked at a Theatrical Shop for exactly 2 weeks in 2001. I quit because, as a “historically protected building” they weren’t required to be Handicapped Accessible and it disgusted me that they would use their protection as a shield instead of trying to find a way to allow the differently abled access. But as part of my 2 weeks… I was scheduled to work on Tuesday, September 11th. After school, I went home to listen to the phone messages. My brother, who had been with the Navy for 2 years, had called to say that they were shipping out and he’d let us know more when he could. My father, who had been away on a business trip, called to let us know he was stuck in Rochester, NY and would try to find a way home when he could. Then I had to go to work. So numb though I may have been, I packed my bags and headed off to work. Upon my arrival, the entire shop was dead. The Dance Studio Head was just sitting there, staring off into space. Classes had been cancelled, obviously. I walked past the Dance Studio and headed down the stairs to the Costume and Make Up Lab. Had a seat behind one of the glass counters and knew that nobody would come in needing anything. The only other person there, running props and wigs, suggested I put on some music and he’d put on a movie. That way, wherever we were in the shop there would be a distraction. And that’s how I spent the evening of September 11, 2001. In a quiet shop in the oldest part of WDM. Still dumbfounded over the tragedy of the morning. Worried sick for my brother and father. Going back and forth from watching MST3K The Movie on repeat and listening to “The Very Best of Prince” on repeat.

So, while Prince may be an essential element of my 80s soundtrack… while he is a necessary part of the Burton Batman franchise… while he is so many things to so many people… Prince will always be a significant part of my 9/11 memories. For that, I thank him. May he rest in peace.