Happy Endings?

Poor Paige lives in the illusion that everything has a happy ending; that the trials of life can be resolved like they are on the movies; that the fear and anger and hurt and pain just disappears after an hour and a half of missteps and deep soul-searching.  I told her it was all a bunch of bullshit, though I didn't use the profanity.

My brother Jim was down this weekend.  Aside from cooking enough food on Sunday to feed the entire United States armed forces, he gave me a copy of the Springsteen concert in Buffalo from last November.  The only song that I haven't heard on a regular basis is Wrecking Ball which the boss wrote for Giants stadium's demise.  It is a pure work of genius - the writing is so intelligent and the message is universal and if I had the words available, I would have read them to Paige as a way of explaining away her illusions about happy endings.

Marriages, new relationships, family relationships, jobs - there is very little that stays the same.  Nothing gold can stay.  Robert Frost wrote it and it is quite clear that Robert Frost did not live in the la-la land of illusion.  The sooner Paige understands this, the sooner she'll succeed in becoming jaded and resentful and angry.  Isn't that where we all end up anyway?

Do I sound pessimistic?  Ah, I'm entitled once in awhile.

Anyway, Wrecking Ball kind of eases the pain of swallowing the bitter pill of life.  It doesn't make the pain go away, it just makes you strong enough to withstand the blows that bring the pain, and maybe, just maybe leaves a little hope for that happy ending.

I was raised out of steel here in the swamps of Jersey, some misty years ago

Through the mud and the beer, and the blood and the cheers, I've seen champions come and go
So if you got the guts mister, yeah if you've got the balls
If you think it's your time, then step to the line, and bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball
Come on and take your best shot, let me see what you've got
Bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball
Come on and take your best shot, let me see what you've got
Bring on your wrecking ball


Now my home was here in the Meadowlands, where mosquitoes grow big as airplanes
Here where the blood is spilled, the arena's filled, and Giants play the game
So raise up your glasses and let me hear your voices call


Because tonight all the dead are here, so bring on your wrecking ball

Bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball
Take your best shot, let me see what you've got
Bring on your wrecking ball


Yeah we know that come tomorrow, none of this will be here
So hold tight on your anger
Hold tight on your anger
Hold tight to your anger, and don't fall to your fear


Now when all this steel and these stories, they drift away to rust
And all our youth and beauty, it's been given to the dust
And your game has been decided, and you're burning the clock down
And all our little victories and glories, have turned into parking lots


When your best hopes and desires, are scattered through the wind
And hard times come, hard times go
Hard times come, hard times go
And hard times come, hard times go
Hard times come, hard times go
Hard times come, hard times go
Yeah just to come again


Bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball


Come on and take your best shot, let me see what you've got
Bring on your wrecking ball
Bring on your wrecking ball (bring on your wrecking ball)
Bring on your wrecking ball (bring on your wrecking ball)


Take your best shot, let me see what you've got, bring on your wrecking ball