Blast from the Past

Me, on the steps to Alice's Restaurant

I subscribe to MassMoments. This is a daily email which will give you a highlight of something interesting that happened in Massachusetts' history.

Today's blast from the past gave me a fond memory.  Today is the day Arlo Guthrie, the folk singer, was arrested for littering, in Stockbridge, MA.  He had spent Thanksgiving at friends'--Alice's Restaurant.  The day after Thanksgiving, Alice asked Arlo to take the trash to the town dump.  He did, or would have, if it had been opened.  It was locked up.  So to get rid of the trash, he threw it down the hill.  Consequently, the reason for Arlo's arrest--littering.

Arlo turned this sad tale into a long, funny song.  It goes on and on and on--20 minutes.  The funny part is because Arlo was arrested, he wasn't fit to serve in the army, so he was never drafted to go fight in the Vietnam War, which he protested against, anyway.

I blogged about this before, here.  I've been to Alice's Restaurant when I was on vacation in the Berkshires.  The place still exists and is an interfaith social services center, with an emphasis on raising funds for Huntington's Disease, which Arlo's dad, Woody Guthrie had.

Lyrics to Alice's Restaurant http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/arlo+guthrie/alices+restaurant_20518619.html 

Alice's Restaurant

Remember the song Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie? "You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant." Not quite. That's because Alice's Restaurant is now the Guthrie Center. It's still very active with "comins and goins", but not the usual restaurant crowd.

We arrived just after the weekly Wed. community free lunch. Just our luck! But it's a nice thing to do for the locals. Everyone is respected here. It doesn't matter your race, religion, politics, nationality, or whatever. You're welcome. Whoever said that there's no such thing as a free lunch?

Besides the free lunch there's an emphasis on fund raising for Huntington's Disease. Arlo's father, Woody Guthrie died from Huntinton's. They hold an annual event called "The Walk-A-Thon To Cure Huntington's Disease." There's also the "Thanksgiving Dinner That Can't Be Beat," for families, friends, doctors, and scientists who live and work with Huntington's Disease.

There are spring, summer, and fall "Revivals," where Arlo and guest performers sing and play, to replenish the building and its foundation. Every Thursday is a Hootenanny. There's also room for meeting space for things like Interfaith yoga, meditation and prayer and support programs for families and friends living with HIV/AIDS and other life threatening illness.

So you can get what's important at Alice's Restaurant. At the least you will experience hope, that there can be a better world.