Rock Concert
When our son was 12 we took him to New Jersey’s Meadowlands Arena to his first rock concert – a stop on Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet Tour.
Later he told us Bon Jovi wasn’t really a cool band, and going to a rock concert with your folks wasn’t cool at all. In fact he was embarrassed to tell his friends he’d gone with us – now how’s that for gratitude!
Nevertheless as I remember he seemed to have a great time, altho when the Bon Jovi fans sitting next to him offered to share their pot, I heard him say, “Thanks but I can’t, I’m with my parents.”
But it seems we eventually passed muster because years later when he’d become a diehard Phish-head, he gifted us with tickets to a Phish show for our anniversary.
In the envelope with the concert tickets were two expertly rolled joints.
– Dana Susan Lehrman
Dana Susan LehrmanThis retired librarian loves big city bustle and cozy country weekends, friends and family, good books and theatre, movies and jazz, travel, tennis, Yankee baseball, and writing about life as she sees it on her blog World Thru Brown Eyes!
www.WorldThruBrownEyes.com
What a great, cool kid, Dana. A tribute to brilliant child rearing by his parents, no doubt.
Dare I assume that you happily partook of all the gifts in the envelope?
Oh John, you don’t expect me to confess to partaking in an illegal act, especially to a Harvard lawyer!
I think it probably was embarrassing for a 12 year old to be seen with his parents at such a venue (though I’ve been to a Bon Jovi concert – they put on quite a show; just hard for a 12 year old to deal with his parents).
Nice of Noah to provide Phish tickets as an anniversary gift, including the proper way to enjoy the experience! Did you toke up?
Well Betsy, you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!
Wonderful story, Dana! I took my kids to a number of rock concerts, and I don’t think they were embarrassed to be with me – at least they never said so! Maybe Noah is cooler than my kids. I’m glad he later gave you tickets to a Phish concert, along with the appropriate way to enjoy it. Did you smoke the joints at home or after you got to the concert? (In my experience, even long before legalization, there were always a lot of joints being passed around at concerts.)
Thanx Suzy, who remembers but I’m sure they didn’t go to waste!
I remember coming out of Carnegie Hall of all places when Trey Anastasio, the Phish guitarist was performing with a classical music group and one could barely avoid the weedy smell out on 7th Ave – am sure that seldom happens at Carnegie Hall!
What a sweet story, especially the ending!
Thanx Dale!
As parents, you were cooler than Noah gave you credit for, Dana, but then Noah returned a cool favor. Hope you enjoyed the joints.
Thanx Mare, but I’m discovering that just like life, parenting is a crap shoot!
It is a wonderful day when the child treats the parents—and so aptly! Lucky all. Even after enduring the uncoolness of the Bon Jovi concert. Lovely.
Thanx Khati!
Lovely story, Dana, and I already knew that Noah was (and is) a nice kid.
It’s certainly your right not to divulge whether you used the proferred goods, and I won’t try to twist your arm into doing so. However, if I ever learn that you had simply tossed said goods away, I may be tempted never to speak to you again!
Thanx Fred, let’s have dinner and I’ll spill the beans – Chez Nick?
Great story, Dana. It’s wonderful that your son felt he could share the full experience with you.
Thanx Laurie!
Far out, man.
Way out, Kevin!
I Love this story! Totally Groovy, as it were. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked it Carol!
A fun tale, Dana! It reminded me of when I started college and my grandmother gifted me some rolling papers. I never had the heart to tell her that I never could inhale smoke or vapor of any kind without I would start choking and gagging.
Thanx Dave, and what a cool grandmama!
It’s great to have kids; it’s our only chance to keep up with the constantly changing concept of hip.
Yep Chas, but try as we might, I doubt we’ll never fully understand the next generation!