Chapter Nine
THE UNIVERSE HAS A PLAN
The day was beautiful - a clear, deep cobalt sky was directly overhead, which faded as one looked toward the horizon to a gorgeous blue-green. It was Friday, a dazzling autumn day in the city of Dallas, Texas. A day where one could say, ‘Isn’t it thrilling to be alive just to be a part of such a magnificent day?’ Decade’s later people would remember this day and know exactly what they had been doing; exactly where they were; exactly what they said and saw on this most incomparable day. By then words like, awful, dreadful, horrible and terrifying would replace the words marvelous, magnificent and beautiful - soft, gentle words, which would no longer be used in conjunction with this egregious autumn day in November 1963.
Earlier in the morning there had been a drizzling, cold rain, but as if nature knew how momentous this day was to become the sun was now out in all its southwestern brilliance. Even the clouds had hidden themselves from view as if saying they did not want to be witness to the day’s coming events. The air was brisk and fresh with a slight northerly breeze gently blowing over the Texas School Book Depository buildings built on the northeast corner of Dealy Plaza. But this was nothing unusual for this time of the year in the Lone Star state of Texas. Now the sun was shining, and everything in nature seemed to be in perfect balance. Dealy Plaza was a park, and a beautiful sight to see. Bounded on the east by Houston Street, on the north by Elm and on the south by Commerce; Main Street neatly split the Plaza into north and south sections; the west end was bounded by the Triple Train Overpass.
At the northwest corner, of Elm and Houston Street on Dealy Plaza was the Texas School Book Depository and diagonally and down the street a bit to the east on Houston was the Dallas City Jail. A flock of pigeons was clearly visibly above the school book building, fluttering off in all directions, up and over the oversized, red lettered ‘HERTZ RENT A CAR’ sign, and the Chevrolet sign with its digital clock mounted above. Both the Chevrolet and the time clock signs used big, bright, yellow letters that could be seen for blocks. That day, the clock’s yellow, digital letters seemed to click slowly. Time was so surreal it was spooky. It were as if the clock itself said, “Stop, I must stop,” but onward the minutes clicked... ticking unceasingly to arrive at the time destiny had allotted for this moment! It would seem, somehow, the elements had picked up on what was about to happen. It was as though, somehow, an invisible finger slipped into the beautiful day and pointed as to say, "Careful now, the Universe has a plan."
A time that will be forever etched into every hidden recess of the minds of all who stood mesmerized - unwilling witnesses to the unfolding panorama of one of history’s greatest events which would be played out as if on a stage right before their eyes.
As Presidential Roosevelt said of December 7, 1941, “a day that will forever live in infamy.” This day, November 22, 1963, would also be remembered forever. Anyone looking at the clock would have noticed...
The time was Friday, November 22, 1963, 12:27:32.
The day was beautiful - a clear blue November day. A day where it could be said, ‘Isn’t it thrilling to be alive on such a day?’ Haven’t you heard this uttered before? You are right... but it doesn’t alter the fact as it began no one realized it had the potential of becoming an extraordinary eventful autumn day!! Extraordinary? Amazing, incredible, inconceivable, or unimaginable. Those words may convey what this day was destined to mean to the United States of America!!
Yes, the brisk morning was refreshing, with a slight northwestern to southeastern breeze but nothing unusual for this time of the year in the Lone Star State. The parade route was covered with the Texas flag. Every utility pole along the parade route appeared to fly at least one flag. As, the song lamented, ‘The eyes of Texas are upon you’, surely bore truth to this austere group of the country’s most influential politicians that warm November day. The sun brightly shone, and everything seemed to be in perfect unison with the total surrounding.
It seemed as if nothing could spoil such a magnificent demonstration of love and admiration the crowd showed for the President of the United States - John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his beautiful First Lady Jacqueline. She was adorned in a double-breasted, strawberry pink and navy trimmed Chanel wool suit, with a matching pink pillbox hat. In her arms, she nestled a beautiful bouquet of red roses given to her on her arrival at Dallas’s Love Field by Mrs. Earle Cabell, the wife of Dallas’s mayor Earle Cabell.
The motorcade slowly began its right ninety-degree turn leaving Main Street and heading north on Houston. The noonday sun was brilliant, and shining almost directly into the eyes of the occupants of the automobiles. Although late in autumn, this November day was especially bright and warm. The driver Special Agent Bill Green and his partner Assistant Special Agent-In-Charge Roy Kellerman, wearing the ever-present wire rimmed dark sunglasses, squinted into the bright sun. Their job was to watch for anything suspicious, or abnormal before the Presidential limousine, behind them, arrived. The Secret Service men jumped from the running boards and stood on the black asphalt preventing the crowd from pushing forward toward the occupants of the limousine as it crept almost timelessly around the corner.
The time was 12:28:30, Friday, November 22, 1963.
A JOURNEY TOWARD DESTINY
Patrolman James E. Brown, Sergeant W. Willis and Patrolman Edward D. Jones of the Dallas Motor Division mounted on their large black and white motorcycles rode approximately one-half block ahead of President Kennedy’s limousine. In this position, they were quick to help the Secret Service block the intersections. Officer Brown who was in front sped forward and positioned his Harley crossways to block the intersection of Houston and Elm. Willis and Jones continued on around the corner clearing the throng of people, especially those congregating in front of the Texas State Book Depository.
Little did anyone realize the man in the back seat, perspiring and waving to the crowd beneath the hot Texas sun, might be enjoying the last couple of minutes of his extraordinary Camelot life. Could he perhaps have had a premonition of his future? Was he aware of the approaching tragedy? Could this destiny we speak of change if the car sped up? Or maybe it should slow down? Would it matter, who knows, but fate was about to enter the scene - a historic moment was about to occur and occur quickly, so quick, in fact, dozens of eyewitnesses to this day, cannot agree on the actual sequence of events that took place that horrible day?
Doctors say the human memory is unreliable; although, tremendous faith is placed on it. The brain is not a computer storing data on its hard drive where it can be retrieved instantly and precisely. The human computer shapes facts, contorts images, fills in gaps and merges perceived knowledge with unknown information to formulate what it believes is the truth. Is it lying? Most certainly it was not, but it may not be precisely the truth either.
The black 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine, code named SS-100-X crept... five maybe ten miles per hour... slowly... slowly... as if time stood still. It was merely a Detroit constructed machine, it was hard to believe, but those present that day say it appeared the limousine knew what was about to transpire. It was as if that Henry Ford inspired large piece of steel could see the people waving; hear the cheers and shouts of greeting from the assembled crowd of well-wishers. The dignitaries in the caravan waved back, it was truly a momentous event. What a joyous, jubilant day, a day to be remembered forever. Oh how totally correct this prediction would prove to be!
Just a few more yards and a 120 degree turn west onto Elm Street; down Elm through the triple overpass; turn right up the ramp to North Stemmons Freeway to the Dallas Trade Mart at 2100 North Stemmons, a mere five minute drive. JFK would deliver another speech and share in a sizzling, mouth-watering Texas raised T-bone. The luncheon to be hosted by the Democratic Party of Dallas along with key government, business, religious, and civic leaders and their spouses. Later Air Force One, the giant silver and blue Boeing 707 officially known as “two-six-thousand”, 26000, would leave Love Field in Dall
as and fly to Austin for another speech, this time for a fund raising dinner at the Municipal Auditorium. After that a leisurely motorcade drive of fourteen miles west to the ranch of Vice President Lyndon Johnson for a weekend of fun and relaxation.
The time was 12:29:10.
“WHAT THE...WHAT WAS THAT?”
This was the official well-planned motorcade route; however, things were about to go awry but awry is not a strong or powerful enough word to encompass this day’s events... one must invent a new word describing the next few minutes taking place next to the grassy Dealy Plaza, in the center of Dallas, Texas. Everything seemed to proceed as planned. In fact, one Secret Service agents riding in the automobile following the presidential vehicle radioed the words “Five Minutes” to the waiting agents at the Dallas Trade Mart. Little did he realize that was going to be an exceedingly long five minutes?
As the Secret Service agent finished his two-word message his world came crashing down, he would never be the same after this moment in time....
The plan for the Presidential parade did not include the sharp crack of a rifle, or the explosive reports of other weapons being fired, which reverberated off the surrounding buildings.
“What the... what was that?” Someone in the press car asked.
The first indication that there was a problem were the birds - pigeons, to be precise, gathered on the rooftop at the corner of Houston and Elm Streets. The building was the Texas School Book Depository. The birds suddenly fluttered into the midday sky. What startled them? Nature’s tiny creatures seemly had a gift. What was it called? A... a... sixth sense, yes that’s the phrase “a sixth sense.” Those tiny creatures seemed to sense the impending disaster just before it occurred. Was that the case here?
Had someone arrived on the roof of one of those buildings? What caused the alarm to the birds? At almost the precise instant, the birds took flight, or maybe a fraction after, a loud noise was heard - perhaps it was a car backfire? No... it could be the muffler discharge from one of the dozens of Harley Davidson police motorcycles. These ‘cycles were slowly maneuvering down the street. The distinctive “potato”, “potato”, “potato”, rhythmic exhaust sound of their two syrup bucket size pistons created a noise only a seventy-four cubic inch Harley two-cylinder engine could make. A firecracker? Who would be crazy enough to set off fireworks in this crowd? But what was that explosive report? A different description depends on which witnesses were describing the noises they heard.
About the only thing, most of the eyewitnesses agree on was the first shot. It occurred just after the presidential limousine made its final momentous left turn onto Elm Street off Houston. In slightly less than 300 feet, the way Americans view their government forever would change. No longer would Washington be trusted. No longer would officials be trusted, and no longer would the word conspiracy be considered a theory.
There was a slight drop in elevation as Elm continued downward toward the triple overpass. At this crossroad of history, there would be a large drop in the prestige of our U.S. government too.
As Abraham Zapruder’s movie film slowly clicked off the frame by frame advancement of the president’s limousine... 310... 311... 312...and then at exactly frame number 313 the first shot occurred. What was heard? No one knows, the first shot was not recorded on Mr. Zapruder’s silent slice of historical film. The sound of the rifle shots are still a tremendous matter of speculation: how many, from which direction and what were they fired from? The only ones that might have an idea would be the SCAR team that first witnessed the film, with full sound, in Cambodia, but one thing is known for certain.
The time was exactly 12:30, Friday November 22, 1963.