"Those who don't remember the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them..."

"Yeah, that's it."

"Well, you've written about so much history, but most of it falls into the time between the World Wars. Would that be your favorite era?"

"Well, I know that period well — it's the twentieth century, although I've written about things as far back as the Trojan War."

"True."

"But you're right, I do have a glut of stuff in that period," he said, nodding his head, and musing that he might try something further back, maybe in the 1800s.

"What about America in 1998?"

"Well, how well that's going depends on where you are on the scale..."

"In other words, if you're poor, it sucks."

"Yes," he said, his voice becoming quiet, "if you're poor, it sucks." He added that being poor in the States "sucks a lot less" than for people in countries where the standard of living is dangerously low, where citizens have to contend with the daily worries of war tearing their nation apart and snipers in the streets.

"You have a couple of dates in California, I know, and in the fall you're going to Europe."

"England, yes, I'll be there in September, I think."

"How's the family?"

He smiled. "They're fine. I'll be home tomorrow and I'll see them."

"Ah, the tape is done..."

"Well, then, I'm going to go and look for my capo," he said, rising from his chair.

"Yes — oh, one more thing. Right now there's a thread [on the Al Stewart Internet Mailing List] about 'Merlin's Time;' people are wondering what it all means."

"Ah... 'Merlin's Time' was inspired by the writings of Robin Williamson, which dealt with medieval times," he said, adding that the song looks at the age of chivalry from the distance of a present-day dream.

We shook hands and he waved, saying he'd see me at show time. Shortly thereafter, the errant capo was found — one of the stagehands had it — and, as I told Al it would, the second show went off magnificently. Mother does know best.

Please see more on featured artist Al Stewart here.