Tunnel of Love - Revisited

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23 years ago today my buddy Rosie called me to tell me he had two extra Springsteen tickets for a Saturday before Easter show in Long Island. This is how the conversation went:

Rosie: Two extra seats - great seats.
Me: Can't be done.
Rosie: I'll call you back in 15 minutes.

I tried the airlines - way out of my price range. I called a buddy, Tom, and told him of the offer.

"Let's go," he said.

The phone rings.

Rosie: What time you going to be here?
Me: About six.
Rosie: See you then.

Tom and I drove the eight hours - listening to Bruce all the way. We met up with Rosie, listened to Bruce in the parking lot over a couple of beers. The seats were great. Bruce came onstage at 7:45 dressed in a tux.

At 12:45 Rosie turned to me and said - "Don't clap for him anymore, maybe he'll leave."

Bruce left the stage 15 minutes later, and Tom and I got back in the car and drove all the way to Buffalo - straight thru - listening to Bruce.

I arrived at my parents home at ten minutes to 11:00 in the AM.

"Ah, good, you made it in time for church," my mother said.

And I went to church.

Two weeks after the Tunnel of Love show Bruce split with his wife, and hooked up with his bandmate, and the rest is history.

Not sure why that all popped into my head today, but whenever anyone asks me what was the best Bruce show I ever saw, I think of that trip, and how crazy it would be to consider doing something like that as a 45 year old man.

I can't hardly even stay up until 7:45 these days!

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