Boogaloo Bruce
I was dreading the road trip to Albany and the training session that I'd set up long ago. Still, I toughed it out. During the training session the owner asked if I could stick around Albany for a few extra hours to do some work. Dread turned to despair.
Yet, my wife called in the middle of the meeting and a funny thing happened on my way down, down, down.
"Do you know Bruce is in Albany tonight?" Kathy asked.
I honestly had no idea. Even hearing the news, believe it or not, I wasn't trying to figure out a way to go.
"You should go," Kathy said. "Do what you have to do and go. You need to."
I hung up the phone and started asking questions. I headed into Albany to check a job and as it turned out, it was about 400 feet from the Times-Union Center. Twenty minutes later, I had a ticket for ten rows back in the middle of the venue. A great seat for face value.
I continued to work. Even going so far as to write each report. 2 hours from showtime, I headed for the car, and that was when the wave of grief rolled over me. I was on my way to see Bruce, and I was as sad as I'd ever been in my life!
Bruce entered to the first note to Badlands and I cried. I turned my back to the man who I'd been chatting with, and I thought of the man who I wanted to be standing beside. Three songs into it, Bruce stopped to say hello to the crowd. "I'm here tonight to turn sadness into joy and happiness!" He screamed. "Tonight, that's what I aim to do. We can't change the world, but we can make you smile!"
I smiled for the next three hours. I wasn't alone - there were 17,000 other smiling faces, waving their fist right beside me. Of course, there were a few more moments of utter sadness, but Bruce and the band, did what they're paid to do. They worked hard, they asked for a renewal of faith.
During Land of Hopes and Dreams Bruce screamed - Faith will be rewarded, as he always does - fist raised - punching it out there and yelling it out loud and clear. I punched my fist in the air and a few more tears rolled down.
Yet it was an old, old song that got me in the solar plexus - during Born to Run, I glanced at the big screen as 26 years after I'd seen Bruce for the first time - he sang the line - I'll Love you with all the madness in my soul.
That was the moment. I loved you with all the madness in my soul, I cried as I looked up and tipped my new Bruce cap.
Yet my tears gave way again as Bruce asked Steven what time it was: "I think it's quitting time," Bruce said.
"No, it's Boogaloo Bruce time," Steven shouted.
And Bruce boogalooed across the stage in the funniest trot I'd ever seen.
A funny thing happened on the road to despair - my wife and the man who always sang for me - pulled me back in and forced me to smile.
And my boy was right there with me.
There's no way he let me see that alone.
Yet, my wife called in the middle of the meeting and a funny thing happened on my way down, down, down.
"Do you know Bruce is in Albany tonight?" Kathy asked.
I honestly had no idea. Even hearing the news, believe it or not, I wasn't trying to figure out a way to go.
"You should go," Kathy said. "Do what you have to do and go. You need to."
I hung up the phone and started asking questions. I headed into Albany to check a job and as it turned out, it was about 400 feet from the Times-Union Center. Twenty minutes later, I had a ticket for ten rows back in the middle of the venue. A great seat for face value.
I continued to work. Even going so far as to write each report. 2 hours from showtime, I headed for the car, and that was when the wave of grief rolled over me. I was on my way to see Bruce, and I was as sad as I'd ever been in my life!
Bruce entered to the first note to Badlands and I cried. I turned my back to the man who I'd been chatting with, and I thought of the man who I wanted to be standing beside. Three songs into it, Bruce stopped to say hello to the crowd. "I'm here tonight to turn sadness into joy and happiness!" He screamed. "Tonight, that's what I aim to do. We can't change the world, but we can make you smile!"
I smiled for the next three hours. I wasn't alone - there were 17,000 other smiling faces, waving their fist right beside me. Of course, there were a few more moments of utter sadness, but Bruce and the band, did what they're paid to do. They worked hard, they asked for a renewal of faith.
During Land of Hopes and Dreams Bruce screamed - Faith will be rewarded, as he always does - fist raised - punching it out there and yelling it out loud and clear. I punched my fist in the air and a few more tears rolled down.
Yet it was an old, old song that got me in the solar plexus - during Born to Run, I glanced at the big screen as 26 years after I'd seen Bruce for the first time - he sang the line - I'll Love you with all the madness in my soul.
That was the moment. I loved you with all the madness in my soul, I cried as I looked up and tipped my new Bruce cap.
Yet my tears gave way again as Bruce asked Steven what time it was: "I think it's quitting time," Bruce said.
"No, it's Boogaloo Bruce time," Steven shouted.
And Bruce boogalooed across the stage in the funniest trot I'd ever seen.
A funny thing happened on the road to despair - my wife and the man who always sang for me - pulled me back in and forced me to smile.
And my boy was right there with me.
There's no way he let me see that alone.
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