Saturday, March 14, 2009

4th of July, Asbury Park (Holly)

Spent last weekend visiting folks who live in Asbury Park, NJ. Bruce Springsteen's hometown, right? I really like the Jersey shore. My Dad's from Jersey, and my grandmother lived down the street from the beach. Pretty awesome for a kid. For two weeks in the summer, it would be the beach every day, mini-golf, and chasing down the ice cream truck after dinner.

Growing up can drain a lot of fun out of the summer. You care more if you get sweaty, you become self-conscious in a bathing suit, and a pail and bucket in the sand can't entertain you for hours anymore. But as our hostess drove us past Tent City, I found myself wanting Summer. I wanted one of those cute little beach houses with the big tent awning. I began imagining how good it must be for the soul to be soaked in the ocean for even a few minutes every day. I imagined myself getting a real tan for the first time in almost twenty-five years. Wearing light cotton clothes and flip-flops, smelling like Coppertone, letting my hair get all sun-damaged. Mmmmm, yeah.

I wonder how much call there is for horn players in the clubs down there. Walking in the sun all day, paying for it by gigging at night. I might be willing to pick the trombone back up for a summer like that.

3 comments:

Anya said...

That sounds like a sweet summer plan! You should pursue that!

I'm picturing you dressed in a Blues-Brothers style black suit with sunglasses, playing your horn in a smoke-filled club.
: )

Anonymous said...

Well, on the same album as "4th of July," Bruce managed to use a tuba as a prominent instrument on "Wild Billy's Circus Story" (my favorite Boss song). So I believe there is a precedent for horn use on the Jersey shore. Go for it!

dayodestin said...

Um, I would like to just point out that Bruce spent a lot of time growing up in Freehold, NJ. As someone who lived in Freehold and went to the same high school that Bruce did, I feel like I could not let this go unnoticed. I love NJ. And your description of summer makes me want to be there.