That Boy
My God, I didn't know that Tom Petty meant that much to me. Since the day I learned of his death I have been holding a kind of shiva to him. I'm not Jewish so I don't know much about shiva, but if it means giving your full attention to someone you loved then, yes, I'm doing that, going on twenty- two days. I've read his biography in between blasting him on Spotify in my house and car; I've have him on at at work and practically every evening. I've watched nearly every interview and live concert on YouTube. I bought three LP's and a tee shirt on Amazon. I'm suddenly a student historian and a latent aficionado of all things Tom Earl Petty with all kinds of new critiques and opinions. If my husband is rolling his eyes over my weird behavior I wouldn't care--this is too important.
I took Tom Petty for granted. But he was always there--providing the soundtrack to my life. When I was young I was the American Girl in all his songs. Later, I was relishing making a life, a family. I was learning to fly and running down a dream. And later, as I grew to middle age, I was reflective and Tom was there with songs about belonging among the wildflowers. In every scene he painted I could imagine myself. And every scene happened in the land familiar to me--America.
He was just, so American. He was one of us. Everything he said was relatable. Though he was a rock star he was oddly wholesome-- the boy next door that played his guitar in the garage--vaguely cute, but maybe not your type. He was looking for trouble. But, boy did you claim him when he became famous. He was that ambitious, hard-working, middle-class kid you knew from the neighborhood. You were happy to see him succeed because he was representing.
He gave us so much. I will forever cherish him.
I took Tom Petty for granted. But he was always there--providing the soundtrack to my life. When I was young I was the American Girl in all his songs. Later, I was relishing making a life, a family. I was learning to fly and running down a dream. And later, as I grew to middle age, I was reflective and Tom was there with songs about belonging among the wildflowers. In every scene he painted I could imagine myself. And every scene happened in the land familiar to me--America.
He was just, so American. He was one of us. Everything he said was relatable. Though he was a rock star he was oddly wholesome-- the boy next door that played his guitar in the garage--vaguely cute, but maybe not your type. He was looking for trouble. But, boy did you claim him when he became famous. He was that ambitious, hard-working, middle-class kid you knew from the neighborhood. You were happy to see him succeed because he was representing.
He gave us so much. I will forever cherish him.
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