Meeting the man, at The Man

I was stationed on the north entrance of The Man pavillion. It was evening and the sun had gone down. This was my first burn. I volunteered with “Man Watch”  so I could meet people and get an understanding of what this was all about? A man appeared beside me. He made a gesture and smiled towards a lady who had walked towards the building and  was admiring some of the tribute offerings near the entrance. We chatted about this being a perfect night. And also how beautiful the pavillion looked. He asked about my week  and how it came about? I told him I came solo and was having an amazing time. We chatted about this and that, for another 5 minutes of so. His companion returned. He politely smiled and bid me a farewell. “Well…….what did he say?” asked a Ranger who strolled up looking interested. “who’s he”? I asked. “That was Larry Harvey” he replied. I’ll be 50 years old this year. I traveled to burning man by myself. I set up my one man camp in a tent on the edge of black rock city near 2:15. My front door opened up to the vast empty playa. I was looking for evidence that the human spirit still held hopes and dreams and promise. I was looking for good in this world. I endured for 10 days. Each night after work, I packed up my bike with provisions  and ventured out on the playa. I sat and watched a civilisation that had sprung up in the desert from nothing. An entire metropolis forged from the human spirit alone. A world for no reason other than the expression of our hopes and dreams and yearnings. To have made a connection with the man whose vision and imagination created this place was no coincidence. I am grateful and lucky. Thank you Larry.

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