Goodbye to an Audiophile (President)

Goodbye to an Audiophile (President)

There are many details: tall, stooped,

demanding chain smoker with

a bullet in the neck. But, out of

all the little revelations that have

emerged, there’s one thing

that has stuck. How you

loved to listen.

I imagine you, closing your

eyes, nodding to “It’s the

motherf***in D-O-double-G”

at top volume, before meeting

the Pope, no less, or you

waking up in the morning

feeling like P Diddy,

or borne on the wings

of Regine Velasquez’

high notes.

Your singular pleasure

ties together my daughter’s

rapid fire, “not throwing away

my shot,” and a boy from

Seoul waxing lyrical about

the wings of Icarus. Anger,

passion, joy,

hope.

You haven’t left

us empty handed. We’ll

go on tomorrow,

really

listening.

June 27, 2021

Image from Reuters/Dondi Tawatao