Along Came a Spider

I have traveled back and forth along the both the I-75 and the I-69to I-74 corridors a number of times over the years. In this trekking between the frozen north and the deep coastal south I have come across many an oddity. However one of the strangest and it is strange enough that I have gone back a couple of times, is James Dean’s grave.

We all know the story. Young star with immense talent burns brightly but then flames out. The simple quote would be the Eagles’ James Dean “Along came a spider, picked up a rider and took him down to eternity…” but it misses the point. Fairmont, Indiana James Dean’s home and the site of his grave is a just a small farming community. James Dean growing up there knew he needed to be somewhere else. I kind of understand that part. When he took his thespian abilities to a venue that was ready for him the combination of money and exuberance led to disaster.

My oldest son asked me about James Dean once. I googled the scene where Jim Backus is trying to get Dean out of jail and played about seven minutes. As we watched it together it got awkward for me. It was clear that my just turned 13 year old understood the angst that Dean was exuding. He got it. His reaction made me feel like I didn’t have clue about the parenting thing at all. I think millions of kids get it when they see Rebel Without a Cause for the first time. Once you move beyond the period costumes and the faded Technicolor you find the eternal battle between parent, child and the larger community is universal.

Anyway the weird thing about the grave is that people leave stuff. The first time we were there we found several unopened packs of cigarettes were on the headstone. There was also some change and a red lipstick smack mark on the D in Dean. This time there was a blue ribbon from a fair, a copy of the Little Prince, some change and my youngest put a pair of black wrap around shades on top. People who connected with the films apparently are still trying to connect with something that James Dean represented. Here is a bit of a Phil Ochs song that touches on it.

A neighbor ran from the movie house, chickens they were scattered

He swore he saw upon the screen, Jim Dean of Indiana

He played a boy without a home, torn with no tomorrow

Reaching out to touch someone, a stranger in the shadow

The Winslows left for the movie town, they drove across the country

They hoped that he would stay around and they hoped he would be friendly

He talked to them for half an hour but he was busy racing

He left for the Grapevine Road, they left for Indiana

Then Marcus heard on the radio that a movie star was dying

He turned the tuner way down low, so Hortense could go on sleeping

It was not until they reached the farm where the hired man was waiting

The wind rushed silent through the grain, it was just as they had told him

They buried him just down the road, a mile from the farm house

That is where I placed a flower for Jim Dean of Indiana.