Keith John Sampson:  

"Lovely to see you again my friend. Walk along with me to the next bend." I am not sure who that shy boy is in the then photo. It’s like looking at a photo of a stranger. I don't remember much of his life in High School. But of course he’s me, and I have reclaimed his interest in Astronomy, thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope’s awesome photos of our Universe. I do remember the everlasting, pleasant summers living in Levittown during the 1950's and early 60's. We kids ruled the summer days and nights. And every day was a fun day. I was told in High School to never think of going to college because I was such a poor student. (Yes I was) If it wasn’t for my girlfriend, Beth, I probably would have flunked math in 12th grade. About a month or so before graduating from Woodrow Wilson I grew a mustache to impress my girlfriend. She wasn’t. A week before graduation I was ordered to the Principal's office, along with other hairy Seniors. Dr. Furgele announced that we would be allowed to graduate and get our diplomas, but we were forbidden to attend the graduation ceremonies in the Football stadium, unless we shaved and/or got haircuts. I thought I don’t care; I’m getting out of here anyhow so I’ll keep my mustache. That night I laughed as I told my Mother, “I’m not shaving”. She placed a hand on my shoulder, “Son you have to. I planned for months to go to your graduation”. I balked. Yet on Graduation Night I wore my Cap and Gown, like every other graduate, but no mustache. Mom and Principal Furgele were pleased, and I grew my mustache back starting the day after graduation. During that period of my life I turned against the war I had supported as a Civil Air Patrol Cadet with six stripes. I had hoped for a career in the Air Force, but then in 1968 my Army brother went to Vietnam, and Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated and everything changed. I stood along the train tracks at the Levittown train station, with my girlfriend and thousands of others, as Bobby Kennedy’s somber funeral train rode by. After all our prayers and tears he was gone, just like President Kennedy who I had seen at the Levittown Shopping Center, years earlier. "Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby? Can you tell me where he's gone? I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill, With Abraham, Martin and John." When my older brother, Bob, returned from Nam he hardly spoke for a month until one day he said to my younger brother, Garry and me, “You two are not going.!" My simple response was, “We know”. Soon I became a draft resister, or as some would say a draft dodger, except I had no college or medical deferments. At one point I faced five years in a Federal prison for draft resistance. "Oh yeah yesterday my friends were marching out to war, Oh yeah listen now we ain't a marching anymore, No we ain't gonna fight, Only God has the right to decide who's to live and die." I became a legal Conscientious Objector, and the government ordered me to work and live at a State Mental Hospital. I refused and they were ready to prosecute me. Ironically Nixon ended the draft, and all moves against me ended. That act by Nixon and the creation of the EPA were about the only things I liked about Tricky Dick. Even though I opposed the Vietnam War and protested against it in Philly and in D.C., I never disrespected the Military Men who had gone to war, since they were my Brother, Friend and Neighbors. "He ain't Heavy, he's my Brother" Woodstock - In August of 1969 I drove my “57 Chevy” to the Woodstock Festival, in New York. My passengers included my younger brother Garry and three other Levittowners. I had heard about Woodstock on WMMR FM, but didn't know what to expect. I was overwhelmed by the sight of hundreds of thousands of young people camping out in the open countryside, with music flowing across the rolling hills. Everyone got along in complete harmony, even during the periods of rain. The Woodstock Festival was a seminal event in my life. It took me a few years to realize that Woodstock would not change the world, even if Woodstock World had changed me. "We are stardust, we are golden" During my rebellious period I became a "Rainbow Ranger", aka a "YIPPE" and was one of the ringleaders of the infamous Washington’s Crossing Smoke In, on May 6th, 1973. We were promoting the legalization of Marijuana, Now, "The time has come today". On December 25, 1973 the Rainbow Rangers protested Nixon at the Washington Crossing the Delaware reenactment. My Brother and I were arrested and charged with, “Parading without a permit, disrupting a public meeting and procession, failure to disperse, and disorderly conduct”. With the help of the ACLU all charges were dropped. In my 20's I attended Bucks County Community College, where I studied such frivolous things, as tennis, fencing and archery, and hanging out on Council Rock. I finally got serious and studied film making, photography and writing, and eventually graduated from BC3. I also studied Shotokon Karate for several years in the 70’s. In 1978 I looked into a cow’s eyes and became a lifelong Vegetarian. 1979 June, I witnessed the so called “Five Points Gas Riots”. No gas stations or houses were burned, but there was a massive bonfire in the middle of 5 Points that included a sofa and a car. It was the first weekend of summer and there was no gas for cars, so Levittowners decided to party in the middle of the road and the Police decided they couldn’t, thus the confrontation lasting two nights. When I was 29 the only woman I asked back then to marry me said no, so with a broken heart I moved to the country where I lived in the woods for 18 years. In an Indiana forest, with three small lakes, I shared 10 acres with my Mother and several dogs. Mom's house was on a hill and I had a small cottage, by a lake, where I stayed in warmer months. We grew large Organic Gardens, and Mom canned a variety of fruits and vegetables. I felled dead trees that I logged for a wood stove. I wandered the fields and hardwood forest with my dogs, and glided though the pine forest under a full moon. And I repeatedly climbed an ancient Oak Tree that overlooked Mirror Lake. On hot summer days I swam nude in one of the spring fed lakes. In winter I'd spend hours outside on sunny cold days splitting firewood. On my 30th Birthday I ran 6 miles cross country. Those were the most pacific years in my life. "When life becomes too fast, I find relief at last Out in the Country." While living in the country I enrolled at Indiana University in Indianapolis, as a Communication Studies Major. I took mostly Liberal Arts Courses, including Documentary Films Studies, Photography, Television Production, and every single Creative Writing course offered by the English Department. I also took courses on the History of Rock and Roll, American History, Astronomy and Indiana Geology. I worked on campus as a student worker, in the Audio Visual Department. And I was a volunteer crew member for two Community Access weekly television shows, There I worked in the control room, eventually becoming a Director of one show. Then the University hired me full time to be Manager of an Audio Visual Office, providing A.V. equipment to the Professors. I enjoyed interacting with the students and faculty, 40 hrs. a week. That was the best job I ever had. I worked there for 5 yrs. until my Mother got Alzheimer's disease. I took my pension savings, and quit my job to be my Mother's caregiver. I had no idea what I was getting into. Anyone who has seen a loved one destroyed by Alzheimer’s will be forever changed themselves. It is a heart wrenching experience that takes a heavy toll on the caregiver. It was devastating watching my Mother’s mind slide into oblivion. Mom had been an outgoing Business Woman in the 1950’s, 60's, 70’s and 80's.. She was also an Auto Racing enthusiast who for several years wrote a racing column for a Trenton newspaper called, “The Inside Track by Toby”. And she had an Auto Racing program, on a Jersey radio station. My Mother also drove a race car back in the days when women were not allowed to race against men. She was 19 years old, the same age I was at Woodstock. At one time Mom was the Promotional Director of the Levittown Shopping Center. She brought in talent shows, pageants and other events to the mall. In the Fall of 1968 my first full time job was at Pomeroy’s Pet Shop, in the Levittown Shopping Center. My Mother was the Promotional Director then. One Saturday I was taking a black Shepherd puppy home for the weekend, and as I walked outside into the open mall Pat Nixon came up and patted the pup on the head and said, “That's a nice doggie”. I was dumbfounded. As I walked to my car there was Richard Nixon running for president. He reached out to shake my hand. I hesitated, but then I reluctantly shook Nixon’s hand. (I bought the puppy that Pat Nixon liked so much) Later I was annoyed at Mom for not telling me she had invited Nixon to the Shopping Center. LOL Mom was a FDR/JFK Liberal, but as a friendly business woman she was open to working with all people, whatever their political or religious beliefs. When my Mother died in my arms, I prayed over her body and kissed her forehead. Her Funeral Mass was attended by her six children and other close relatives. My Father was there to give comfort and moral strength to the rest of us. I gave Mom's Eulogy and spoke of her life and how she was ahead of her time as a Business Woman. Unfortunately the country place was lost to the Bank because without my knowledge my Mother had signed a Reverse Mortgage when she was in her early stages of Alzheimer’s. At first I was in denial of her approaching senility with my 40 hour work week, and attempt to re-establish a social life with students my age. I moved to Indianapolis and applied for my old job back at I.U. Instead...Expand for more