May 24, 1979 was three days after my college graduation, a couple of weeks before Satch's high school graduation and, incredibly enough, 2 and 1/2 years after 15 year old Kevin's first beer. Our mom's gone 28 years now, we've all lived much longer without her than her, and now we've all got our own kids (and soon grandkid) to worry about. So take a moment Thursday and remember... remember the good things in your life...call someone special...play "On Top of The World"...take your son out to dinner...cause that's what I'm gonna do.
"I Wish I Could Have Met Her"? That's what both my wife and son said to me tonight. Me too, Sean and Cathy, me too.
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Dirty old street all slushed up in the rain and snow
Little boy and his ma shivering outside a rundown music store window
That night on top of a Christmas tree shines one beautiful star
And lying underneath a brand-new Japanese guitar
I remember in the morning, ma, hearing your alarm clock ring
I'd lie in bed and listen to you gettin' ready for work
The sound of your makeup case on the sink
And the ladies at the office, all lipstick, perfume and rustlin' skirts
And how proud and happy you always looked walking home from work
If pa's eyes were windows into a world so deadly and true
You couldn't stop me from looking but you kept me from crawlin' through
And if it's a funny old world, mama, where a little boy's wishes come true
Well I got a few in my pocket and a special one just for you
It ain't no phone call on Sunday, flowers or a mother's day card
It ain't no house on a hill with a garden and a nice little yard
I got my hot rod down on Bond Street, I'm older but you'll know me in a glance
We'll find us a little rock 'n roll bar and baby we'll go out and dance
Well it was me in my Beatle boots, you in pink curlers and matador pants
Pullin' me up of the couch to do the twist for my uncles and aunts
Well I found a girl of my own now, ma, I popped the question on your birthday
She stood waiting on the front porch while you were telling me to get out there
And say what it was that I had to say
Last night we all sat around laughing at the things that guitar brought us
And I layed awake thinking 'bout the other things it's brought us
Well tonight I'm takin's requests here in the kitchen
This one's for you, ma, let me come right out and say it
It's overdue, but baby, if you're looking for a sad song, well I ain't gonna play it
“The Wish”
Written by Bruce Springsteen
Isn't it strange to think that Cathy, Laura, Lisa and Chris (and all the children) didn't know her when she's still so prevalent in our minds?
Tried to post as a blog, to no avail. Could one of you throw it on there?
WHAT IF...?"
I have the below photo on my desk. I look at it every day. I talk to it sometimes and then will myself to hear the response.
Mostly, though, I think “What if…?”
It’s the one hole that — no matter how I try to fill it — gets deeper and wider.
“What if…?”
Our mother died when I was 15.
(And in the interest of full disclosure, that first beer Trip mentioned was consumed in the St. Denis graveyard — behind the D’Avella mausoleum. Joe Maguire, Steve Conners, Paul Finegan, Jim Meehan and I split a twelve pack of warm Gennesee Cream Ale. Hopefully, God will take into consideration that we took the empties with us.)
Like the rest of my siblings, I have a family that knows next to nothing of the most influential person in my life. Sure, I tell them stories. Yes, they see pictures. Every time my daughter amazes me, the deeper the hole gets. Every anniversary I celebrate with Lisa, the wider the hole gets.
What if … they had met?
There are holes everywhere. Everyone has their own.
I’ll learn from yours if you learn from mine.
Give up the grudges.
Make someone’s day.
Tell Mom you love her.
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