The Troy University Speech and Drama Department just completed a four-night run of the beloved musical “The Music Man.” Since our third-grade son Jack played the part of Winthrop, my wife and I saw all four performances.
(The play was fantastic and actually made me think there might be hope for our country’s younger generation after all. )
In addition to four live shows, I’ve also recently watched the 1962 movie version several times.
This means I might now qualify as an expert on “The Music Man.”
Indeed, after watching so many performances, I’ve come to believe this classic from the Golden Age of Broadway musicals explains just about every event that’s transpired in the Real World in the last five years … or 200 years.
Even people who’ve never seen the play or the movie are probably familiar with the musical’s signature line and musical number: “There’s Trouble in River City.” …
Now that I think about it, River City …. and Ames …. and Peoria … and Troy have always had trouble, which any enterprising salesman can cure.
Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi were trouble; Iran is now trouble; the changing climate is Existential Trouble.
Fortunately, the solution to all our troubles is provided by salesmen with excellent credentials. All the public has to do is pony up and pay the piper.
Yessiree, there is trouble in River City!!! All of our snake oil salesmen are hard at it, however< they are best know under a different moniker: politicians! Yep, they will gin up the trouble, starts with “T” and rhythms with bump, or starts with a “W” and rhymes with jar. Pay the piper and solve the problem.
The whole problem with this approach to doing things is that the piper always seems to be the same and the solutions always make us more miserable and poor. How can this be? Aren’t we smarter than that? No, it is the fear that makes us deaf, dumb and blind. No one can remember:
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." - Dune