As I go into each year I make some loose resolutions. This and last year I resolved not to buy as many concert tickets as I have in the past. So far, so good. This weekend was a challenge to get through the weekend without regretting this decision. But, the way the events of the day yesterday played out for me really made me proud of myself! We left the store yesterday to attend a Memorial Service and our neighbor store kept an eye on our store while we were gone (yes, lucky we have such nice neighbors to make something like that happen). When we called on the way back to the store our friend watching our store said there was someone who wanted to give me a ticket to the Southside show last night. He wouldn't give me any information over the phone. So, as we drove there Glen and I went over a lot of scenarios of who and what was going to happen. Glen had some errands to run, so he dropped me off. Well, the first thing she said was that she paid $800 for the ticket. And, that made it real easy for me to say no. Then she said she wanted me to have it and she was just going to give it to me, and it was still really easy to say no. I think she needed to see the show more then me. So, I don't know what happened, but I said the ticket was meant for her to see the show not me. Then she thought I could maybe I could sell the ticket for her. No, again I said.....I don't sell tickets and don't want to get a reputation for doing so. So, she left and a little time went by. A person walked in the store and the conversation started and she was looking for a ticket. Oh gosh....I walked the whole Arcade to see if I could find the person selling or giving the ticket away. Well, what happened after that was an hour of pure joy. It ends up the person who would have the bought the ticket was from Japan and went to the show Friday night and was still trying to find a ticket. But, the conversation between my husband and her was really special. When I meet people who come far away to enjoy Asbury Park's music scene it puts everything in perspective with me. Glen, of course, could not stop gushing over our son and started sharing videos with her and she seemed so interested he just couldn't stop. For me, though as we talked she just put a lot in perspective for me. It was funny as I realized she had been to my store before and she was the first customer I ever took a picture of. She was here four years ago the day I was on channel 12 news for talking about the wind. But, anyway why do I feel so lucky? Well, as I spoke to her comparing Asbury Park to Liverpool ( I know almost as hard as comparing Lady GaGa to Julie Andrews)....I said it and I am writing it down so I don't forget. Liverpool knew it was special because it is where the music of the Beatles began. But, the Beatles broke up and where they began became extra special. I have never been to Liverpool, but my daughter was lucky enough to attend school for credit for a few weeks. And, sorry there is no comparison as far as the city goes. But, she did say she went to a few clubs for the music and there is a good music scene there, but Liverpool is a true city. Well, I don't know what to call Asbury Park anymore.......it used to be a city. But, here is where the lucky part comes in.
I have said it to many people who have graced our doors at Greetings from Geralyn. Yes, my husband and I grew up in the area. Yes, we raised our children in the area. To be able to see Asbury Park literally raise from the ashes of it's troubled history makes us very lucky. To do this without fear again is all about a feeling we get when we are in Asbury Park. Yes, there are still people who we have grown up with that are still fearful of the stigma of Asbury Park. So, that is their loss and again I will declare we are lucky for every second we spend there. Especially sharing it with visits from people who have traveled from Chicago, Iowa, Cleaveland and Japan (that's just a sampling of the people we encountered yesterday). Then there are the musicians who graced the stages of all the venues in Asbury Park last night. As we walked to our car to have dinner at Jimmy's last night there were the neon lights on at the Wonder Bar hosting a Grateful Dead tribute band Juggling Suns......there was a van of people going into McCloones to see Grammy award winner James Cotton and........ Langosta Lounge was hosting Karmic Juggernaut a very young and hip group playing original music who made history last year using solar energy to play on the roof of Langosta. Then there was Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes who played a sold out show playing the music of Bruce Springsteen.
So, how lucky and happy would have I been to attend a show like that? Well, very, but when we got home from having an excellent meal....Glen went fast asleep and I opened my computer. I saw a picture of Southside and gladly a lot of friends I have on facebook were at the show. Was I full of regret......no, I was looking forward to seeing the posts and I fell asleep. I woke up at 11:30pm to be able to listen to Saturday Night Live as I write this. And, this is why I consider myself so lucky. Forty years later after hearing Bruce on the radio and watching Saturday Night Live television we still have live music venues playing live music in Asbury Park. God Bless America and thank you for keeping on keeping on. Learning the lesson of appreciating all that Asbury Park has to offer and looking forward to the future with no regret. Like, wondering if Bruce will show up......oh, please who cares.....but, you never know! The bottom line......I Want to Be Where the Bands Are!!!!
