By Art Rice

In 1965 as a 19 year old college student who didn't see past the Beatles, that (Who Is John Coltrane?) is exactly what I asked my boss. You see I worked part time in a pharmacy in Deer Park, Long Island while I went to art school preparing for a career in advertising. John Coltrane and his family were customers, and he would often come in or I would deliver to his home. At the time he lived in Dix Hills. He always said "how do you feel?" when he saw me. I remember thinking most people said "just a minute" when I was at their door or just asked for what they wanted when they came in the store. But, Mr. Coltrane always said "how do you feel?" It made me feel like he saw me as a person and not someone to get something for him. He had a XKE in his driveway that I thought was cool, but I mostly saw him driving a station wagon. I remember him pushing a shopping cart around the supermarket with a cap on his head, doing some shopping. Most people had no clue who he was. I remember him whistling some kind of tune when he would get change from me and use the pay phone. Who knows what tunes I may have heard before the world did? As time went on I found out more and more who John Coltrane was. But it was years before I got into his music and I'm still discovering it. Only now it's on mp3s. and not records. Alice Coltrane also came in and was always nice too. The kids were real little. I think John Jr. was in diapers. I remember prescriptions for rashes and things that every other family has. Mr. Coltrane always gave me a buck tip and believe me that was good in 1965.

I remember going to his door and hearing live music. Mr. Coltrane answered the door and invited me in while he paid me. The group was there rehearsing. I thought later, and still do think, why didn't I ask him if I could hang for awhile. Talk about missed opportunity. In the early summer of 1967 I answered the pharmacy phone and it was a prescription being called in to go to Coltrane's house. Mr. Coltrane had died in Huntington hospital. What happened? He was too young. He looked healthy to me. I delivered the prescription. As I walked to the front door there were about four or five guys sitting around in suits. Thinking about it I was sure they were big names in jazz. But, that day in 1967 will always be with me. John Coltrane was dead. I moved on with my life and the Coltranes moved from Dix Hills. As a Designer and Macintosh graphic consultant I have a print of John Coltrane and Miles hanging in my studio. And very often listen to his music while I'm working. John Coltrane impressed me as a person long before he did as a musician and I consider it a lucky break to have known him.