summertime rolls

I remember the very first time I heard Jane's Addiction. I was seated in the backseat of Kristin's car with Renee at shotgun. (This was probably one of the only times I was ever in her car as I always drove because I rarely imbibed on recreational chemicals.) I don't remember our destination, but the music was amazing. It was not like anything else I had ever heard. When I went to purchase 'Nothing's Shocking,' the record store did not have any albums, only tapes. It was one of the first prerecorded tapes I owned along with 'Staring at the Sea' which was selected purely for the b-sides.

After that, every spring semester when the day turned sunny and cool with the crisp smell of spring, I would throw open my windows and blast 'Nothing's Shocking' repeatedly until I had my fill. When I left college, I would follow the same routine except I would pack up the dog/dogs and take a long drive north (starting on the Jersey side) along the Delaware River and cross one of the many bridges to return home taking the southern route on the Pennsylvania side. On the way home, I would stop at one of my favorite parks and walk Thor (german shepherd) and later Rusty (doberman pinscher) until we were exhausted. For years, it was not officially spring in my mind until I had listened to Jane's Addiction.

I cannot remember when I stopped my yearly ritual, but I do know that things got really bad for many years. I stopped listening to music. I stopped enjoying music. Spring was never the same for me.

I was in the car today driving to complete some errands. The air was crisp and clear. It was sunny, but a little too chilly with the windows down. 'Had a Dad' came on and flooded my mind with memories of past springs. I still have the original tape. I found it. The timing should be perfect for my trip to Tucson.