More than fifteen years ago, before we made each others acquaintance, Livingston Taylor put out an album named “3-Way Mirror”. It wasn’t an enormous commercial success (I just checked on Amazon.com, and it seems to be a bit of a collectors item at this point, rather than flying off the shelves), but I figure with the demographic of my readership, maybe someone knows it and it’s likely that at least a few of you listen to Livingston.
The obligations of friendship being what they are, I probably own more of Liv’s work than I would under ordinary circumstances. I don’t usually listen to pop, and when I do it’s usually pop targeted at a much younger crowd. I like my sonic fluff to be about boys with fast cars and girls with long legs, short skirts, and questionable taste in men. Pop about my own demographic cuts too close to the bone.
But I digress.
Anyway, I’ve got a copy of “3-Way Mirror”. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out what the title meant. I know what an ordinary mirror is, and I know what a two-way mirror is. But a three-way mirror? What does that do? Is it some sort of metaphor? Is it like you’re looking through a two-way mirror watching Liv perform, while through the mirror someone else is watching you? Or that when you’re watching Liv perform, you’re also watching other people watch Liv perform, and watching each other? Or something totally different?
I didn’t have a clue.
And I was somewhat worried because I kept thinking that someday it would come up in conversation and Liv would find out that I hadn’t figured out his joke, or metaphor, or whatever it was. Maybe he’d think I hadn’t given it a thought, or maybe that I didn’t even care.
I get worried about things like this.
This old fear swam to the surface again a few days ago, so I gave it another thought. I got out the CD and looked at it. Not much to work with; just the same old bland photo of Liv fixing the collar of his trademark tweed jacket, standing in front of a full-length mirror. It’s one of those mirrors you see in a clothes store, or a fancy wardrobe–the kind that have three panels, so you can see yourself from several different angles.
So, what was right under your nose for days, months, or years before you finally figured it out?
