Gotta Laugh at Yourself

It's Friday! I don't know if that has anything to do with my especially good mood but I am certainly in one this morning. I woke up and could tell today was going to be a good day. Don't ask me how....just have a feeling.

So I grabbed my shower, hugged the family and off to the office I went. As I pulled out of the driveway I felt like a little rock and roll so I powered up the IPOD and got my wireless adapter to tune in perfectly for my car stereo. I scrolled down and found my man Bruce Springsteen. I have virtually every album he has ever made loaded on the IPOD but went to Born In The USA, the first CD my sister Sheri ever bought me way back in 1985.

As I drove to Starbucks to get my caffeine fix Bruce was in fine throat. A flood of memories came rushing back as I realized just how long it had been since I had played this particular set of tracks. It made me smile a little bit more and jam a little bit harder. I still remember jamming out to this cd and thinking I was so cool pulling into the high school parking lot.

So with my venti dark roast in hand I steered my 'horse' back into traffic somehow seemingly not irritated by the number of crazy drivers at such an early hour. I sipped my piping hot coffee allowing it to massage my singing pipes as I pounded out my best Springsteen voice impression. My free hand tapped the steering wheel in perfect rhythm while I charged down the trail and then it happened....

The song Glory Days came on. I love that song and for some reason I felt especially called to get into it this morning. So there I was blazing down having my own little Ford Explorer concert when I came upon the red light. I stopped with nary a worry about the minor delay and continued to jam.

I was digging deep for my best vocals and gyrating like Tom Jones in room full of women when I looked up and noticed. There to my immediate left was a car full of three women, eyes about as wide as humanly possible. One had her mouth open in total shock. One looked at me like I was the anti-Christ. And still the third looked at me with apparent pity and concern for my apparent altered mental state.

Two things could have happened at that point. I could have shrunk like a wilting violet and sulked back into my seat with embarrassment. Or I could follow Tom Cruise's advice in the movie Risky Business and say "Sometimes you've got to say what the f***" and go with it. I went with the second choice.

I just pushed down my sunglasses and gave them the biggest wink and smile you could imagine. I don't think Springsteen himself could have looked as cool. Each of them got this embarrassed red-faced look but couldn't take their eyes of me as smiles erupted on each of their faces.

The light turned green. I pushed my glasses back up and flashed them the peace sign with my left hand and off I went smiling to myself the whole way down the road. Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.

Maybe I made their day. Maybe they made mine. Either way....it's Friday and I suspect Bruce will be waiting for me when I drive home too. Can't wait to see who tunes into that concert.

Ripple On!!!

Steve