Don't wanna live without it

Last Friday, I was part of a decent crowd of older middle-aged man turds and their spouses, significant others and/or friends attending a free Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk summer concert featuring an old-school band named Pablo Cruise.

I listened to a lot of Pablo Cruise music in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when they were in their prime.  Nowadays, after a long time-out, they’re back on the concert touring circuit appearing, probably, at county fairs and other small venues like this one. 

Many in attendance sported gray locks, bald heads, khaki-style cargo shorts and Tommy Bahama shirts.  Old was the predominant vintage at least in the minds of some younger folks also in attendance.  Some, but not me, probably had an AARP membership card locked in loaded in their wallets and a bottle of Geritol within gargling distance.

There’s something about old-school music that brings out the youngster in us; Pablo Cruise’s music did this to me.  More than once, I caught myself clapping my hands, swaying from left to right and enjoying the music while noticing others doing the same.

The music magically took us back 35 to 40 years ago to a time when we were all young men and women youngsters.  What a breath of fresh air it was for me from the who I am now. 

And, I learned something about Pablo Cruise that I didn’t previously know. 

At one point, I asked some old turd next to me, “Which one of the members on stage is Pablo Cruise?”  He uttered something that I couldn’t grasp due to the whispering tone of his answer muffled by the loud music, but I nodded my head in agreement nonetheless.  Later, a Google search answered my question.  Pablo Cruise is not a person but the name of a band.

I’m never too old of a dog to learn new tricks or clear up previously-stored confusion.  Funny, I thought, about never knowing this all the years listening to Pablo Cruise music while looking at the album cover.

As is typical with these old-school bands, they primarily perform oldie songs from their prime and this is what Pablo Cruise gave all of us.  

One song had a title that made me think about the life I’ve lived thus, the many blessings I have, cherish and want to last forever, and reflect how I don’t wanna live without it.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum