In 2002, the first leg of the Rising tour was not coming to Montreal, and in my panic, I started planning where I could conceivably score a ticket and how to manage the travel arrangements. Although I could hardly afford it, I traveled to Buffalo at considerable expense, returning on a train that left from a scary unmanned platform at 4 a.m.

When I returned to Montreal, my mother, seeing how rejuvenated and happy I was, told me "I think you should see Bruce Springsteen as often as you can." and passed me some money towards my trip.

I was already an adult the first time I saw Bruce in 1978, and mom may not have been able to recognize any of his tunes, but she knew he was "the blue collar" guy "that supported unions and working people".

Mom continued to "secretly" fund my multiple trips to concerts out of town in 2002-03 and bought my GA ("pit") tickets for my friend and I in my hometown of Montreal.

Mom passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on April 7, 2004, at the same time that a group of "tramps" were organizing Springbreaksteen to fill the void of a tour-less spring season. This group of "bs.netters" led by Heartsie, She's The One, Thunderdown, NY Nick, and too many more to mention, organized my airfare and hotel arrangements, and just a couple of days after the funeral I was walking the beach in Pensacola with strangers who knew who I was, hugged me, shared intimate family stories and otherwise gave me some hopeful joyful memories among the grief and pain.

When people mock me for being a fan at my age, I tell them the story of Springbreaksteen, and that these are the kind of people that call themselves "Bruce fans", and the mocking people say they envy me.



Marion Pennell ©


page 166
"For You: Original Stories and Photographs by Bruce Springsteen's Legendary Fans"
@copy 2007
Lawrence Kirsch Communications
www.foryoubruce.com


Home - mari0n.com