Blast From The Past

I've read a few times that music can trigger memories long forgotten and I strongly believe that.

Last night at work I had just finished the book I was reading and decided to listen to the radio for a bit. I tuned it to a local radio program, "Little Buddy Radio" and I'll blog about that station in a few days.

The station plays the usual "Do-wop" 50's stuff, but also a great deal of 60's, 70's and 80's stuff too.

So as I finished my hourly patrol I settled down in my 'stakeout' place to watch over some properties and listen to the tunes and it was then I was catapulted back far into the past, to another July 4th weekend so many years ago.

The song was Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" and the year was 1982...

It was a warm night and I was in my 1967 Ford Mustang and the 289 purred under the hood, all eight cylinders firing in smooth perfection. I had only been driving for about six months (well, driving legally six months as far as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was concerned) and I had an open bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon between my legs...

The stereo was playing, but not loudly and my first love was seated shotgun, her left hand on my thigh and head on my shoulder and her long auburn hair flowed behind her like a dark wave.

Both windows were down, for the night although humid, didn't warrant air conditioning even if the old Mustang had it. Lighting bugs were lighting the way along Rt. 32 that runs along the Delaware River north of New Hope, PA on our way to nowhere. A diamond studded blue-black sky blanketed us with trillions of stars.

We were both silent, the warmth of the afterglow still encompassing both of us as I sped along, the car taking the curves along the river with ease.

It was a time right at the cusp of adulthood. Right before the harsh realities of life sneaked up on us and robbed us of that last little shard of innocence our hearts still held on to, however tenuously. It was the beginning of the last summer as a child...

A time of pure innocence...

Of knowing everything and knowing nothing.

The cynic in me tried to tell the memories to turn around! Don't go forward! Go home! There's nothing but heartache and misery ahead! Hide from it all!

But I quickly pushed them inside and was sixteen again for a few more fleeting minutes.

I could hear the purr of the motor, feel her hand on my thigh and the warmth of her body so close...

Smell her perfume...

Still taste her kiss on my lips...

Then a firefly landed on the steering wheel on my patrol vehicle and a slight breeze wafted a pleasant aroma, slightly jasmine...

Then in a bittersweet flash, the firefly flew away flashing his meloncholy beacon as if to tell me hello and good bye at once, and the moment was gone forever.

I know it's late,
I know you're weary
I know your plans don't include me
Still here we are,
both of us lonely
Longing for shelter from all that we see
Why should we worry,
no one will care girl
Look at the stars so far away
We've got tonight,
Who needs tomorrow?
We've got tonight babe
Why don' you stay?

Deep in my soul,
I've been so lonely
All of my hopes, fading away
I've longed for love, like everyone else does I know
I'll keep searching, even after today
So there it is girl, I've said it all now
And here we are babe, what do you say?
We've got tonight,
Who needs tomorrow?
We've got tonight babe
Why don't you stay?

I know it's late,
I know you're weary
I know your plans don't include me
Still here we are,
Both of us lonely
Both of us lonely

We've got tonight,
Who needs tomorrow?
Let's make it last, let's find a way
Turn out the light,
Come take my hand now
We've got tonight babe
Why don't you stay?
Why don't you stay?
Who needs tomorrow?
Let's make it last
Let's find a way
Turn out the night
Come take my hand now
We've got tonight babe
Why don't you stay?
Why don't you stay?


Copyright 2005 Thomas J Wolfenden
Lyrics Copyright 1978 Bob Seger