Part two. 1999

Is it the fantasy? Is it the real life?

Freddie Mercure "Bohemian Rhapsody".

We had to pay more attention to this and not be so isolated from the situation in which the fans fell. I think it was irresponsible to just go out, play and leave, not paying attention to some of the details that accompanied the show.

Anthony Kiedis, leader of the Red Hot Chilly Peppers group

I did not see anyone injured. And you did not see it. When you look at the sea of ​​people from a 20-foot stage, when you perform, you feel your music, and this is what is expected of you. Could I have noticed that something was going wrong?

Fred Durst, vocalist for Limp Bizkit.

Chapter 1. Bus

Stewart plopped down on the easy chair, tucked the travel bag under his feet, leaned back and closed his eyes with relief. Everything! Another hour - and he is at home, where there is a soft bed with clean, fresh sheets, warm smells from the kitchen, a festive dinner with his family, his own, damn it !!! - a room, monotonously buzzing TV, a view from the window, known from childhood ... Where there is no need to hurry, hide or fear, where you don’t see enemies everywhere ... How long has he been at home! How did he miss such a simple but sweet personal wealth, whose beginning is here, in the general intercity bus ... “Well, how!” - Stewart stretched his legs forward.

If this company weren’t in the rear seats yet ... There’s more noise from them than from the Arabs in the market. How many are there - five, six, more? Stewart sat up and looked in the driver's mirror: “Wow, how many of them! Almost to the middle of the bus took ... ". He did not want to call them to silence - who needs extra problems? Especially if the good half of that company are negros: just start saying something, they will immediately scream about discrimination. And well, if you just scream ... "Okay, and so we will reach. And it’s not a very long ride, ”Stuart sank back onto the seat.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the company did not only irritate him. A young, attractive woman sitting on the right across the aisle also threw dissatisfied glances in that direction. The rest of the passengers pretended that they were not in the least disturbed by such a noisy black and white presence. A little thought, Stuart also decided not to interfere. In the end, the order in the bus - it is up to the driver, so let him head and hurt. Having finally figured out for himself with the annoying company, he slightly turned to his neighbor, smiled knowingly and said:

- It seems that we are waiting for a fun trip.

- Yeah. - She shook her head in agreement. - But this is not enough of them. Two more buses left before us. So they were packed to capacity with such companies.

- Seriously? Asked Stuart in surprise. - Then I understand why I could not buy a ticket for two days.

“You're not alone,” the woman chuckled. - I also got here from the third attempt only.

“And, probably, not only these two buses were crowded,” as if Stuart had said to himself, looking back at the noisy company. - It is strange even ... What suddenly all of them drew out of the city? They are not like provincials. Especially the “dark-skinned brothers”, he grinned at his own thoughts. - And those who live in Rotten Apple, rarely descend from their height to the houses of red brick. Is there a picnic there? And to all New Yorkers today - free admission and discounts?

The woman smiled and examined her companion intently:

- It seems that you have not been to America for a long time.

“Yes, quite a while,” said Stewart. - I returned to the States three days ago.

- From Kosovo, probably?

- How did you find out? - astonished Stuart.

“Form,” the woman smiled. - Then it is clear why you do not know what is happening here. Tomorrow the rock festival begins. Dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of Woodstock. I am going there for work - to do a reportage.

- One? Are you a journalist?

- Yes.

- And you are not afraid to go to a rock festival alone?

The woman smiled carelessly.

- You are afraid, you are not afraid ... This is work. And what can happen to me at an ordinary rock concert?

“Well, this is not an ordinary concert,” Stewart drawled. - And there will be more people ...

“I’m not going to be there alone,” said the woman. - There are my colleagues from MTV, from other publications. And together we no crowd is terrible.

- And where will it go?

- In Rome.

Stuart strained his memory, trying to remember where it was possible to hold such a big festival in this town. A woman with a barely perceptible smile watched him and, enjoying plenty of his mental efforts, finally said:

- Old Griffiss Air Base.

“Infernal place,” muttered Stuart.

- You were there?

- No, just heard. Yes, you are not lucky - in such a heat to Albany, from there - to Rome. Four hours, and even in such a company ... Good for me: I stayed for an hour ...

- Where are you going?

- To Bethel, to the motherland. On vacation for three weeks I go.

- How - on three? Is the war in Kosovo not over?

- The war is over, but we started to build a base. Near Urosevac. And I'm a contract, - Stuart sighed.

- And how long will you have to contract?

- Year. I have not been from the ninety fifth house.

- Understanding-yatno - a woman stretched out and suddenly said: - And I have not been to Betel for so long ...

“Have you ever been to Bethel?” - surprised Stuart.

- Repeatedly. - She smiled again. - I was born there. Not far from Bethel.

- So we are fellow countrymen, - for some reason, Stuart was delighted. “I was born there too.” True, not in the Betel itself, but about. To tell you how I was born - they will not believe in life. I myself did not believe for a long time, even my father.

- Seriously? - The woman leaned toward him, leaning on the arm of the chair. - And what is so strange about your birth? Do not tell? Do not worry, this is not for the press. I'm really very interested.

Stewart hesitated slightly, but seeing a genuine interest in the eyes of a woman, he was inspired.

- My father told me that I was born on the first day of the very Woodstock, which is now celebrated so. Right on the field. A crowd of half a million people, rain, dirt, music ... Father said that at this moment Melanie was speaking. Can you imagine such a thing - being born almost under “Beatiful people”? ..

At this time, the bus started off and drove to the exit from the bus station. Stewart glanced forward and did not notice how the gray, unusual shape of a woman’s eyes widened in amazement, and how she once again, but more closely, looked around the interlocutor from head to toe. When Stuart looked at her again, her face expressed only deep thoughtfulness.

- Well, here we go. Another hour - and finally the house ... - he said.

“Yes-ah,” the woman said, stretching her words, “it is really hard to believe in it.”

- And you? You believe?

- I something? Hmm ... Yes, I believe, perhaps ... So, you are the very “Woodstock baby” that Life magazine was looking for almost all over America?

- Why did I immediately? - retorted Stuart. - My father said that there were quite a few pregnant women. Could not look for me. In the same company with him, for example, two more pregnant women were. And one even gave birth right in the car. In a traffic jam on Seventeenth Highway.

“Does your father live in Bethel?”

- Yes. He settled there long ago, almost immediately after the death of his mother.

- Sorry. - The woman stretched out her hand and touched Stewart with it. - I did not want...

“It's okay,” said Stewart, whose heart sank when touched. “I don’t remember my mother either, only according to my father’s tales.” He alone brought me up.

“I would like to talk to him,” a woman suddenly said. - This is an interesting story. Very, very interesting ... And very important ... for me - she added in a low voice. Stuart heard her.

“I wish you were going to Rome,” he said. - We could go out together in Betel, you would talk to your father, spend the night in a hotel at the Tiber, and in the morning I ...