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Steve Harvester's avatar

https://youtu.be/rwXO0sbN4pc?si=YUM5JGfLuUZudKvT

Joan Baez singing Phil Ochs: there but for fortune go you or I. The fourth verse takes it from “a young man” to “a young land”, today Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Somalia…tomorrow?

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

Such a great song. So full of despair and truth. Thanks for reminding me of Phil Oches

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Joyce Wycoff's avatar

My Pollyanna self wants to believe that moment was when he began to dig himself out of the hole his life had led him into. Thanks for the story.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

You're welcome, Joyce. My hopes are the same as yours. I never saw him again so we'll never know - which is so often the case when we have such a limited interaction with someone who's hurting. I appreciate your thoughts.

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Mark VanLaeys's avatar

Thanks Alyssa - it is a tough one to forget, but it left a glimmer of hope.

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Alyssa Sugar's avatar

Good story Mark! What a scary and humbling but fulfilling experience.

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