Thnks fr th Mmrs

The visual spectacle of this show can  barely be described. There were, among many other things, a man in a bunny suit, stuffed saguaros, a gigantic 3D dog head, fireworks, flames, confetti, a generous supply of bouncing balls. and a wicked light show.

I was entirely entertained. 

Once upon a time, during the naughties, my eldest daughter went to university about an hour's drive north of our home. 

At the same time, she needed monthly check-ins at her orthodontist, about a half-hour's drive south of our home.

And so it was that I found myself, once a month, making the drive up to campus to fetch her and come back home for the night. The next morning, I'd drive her to the orthodontist, then straight back up to school, and finally, home again. 

Which turned out to be about five hours of driving in less than a day.

Quite a slog, if you don't mind me saying so.

But I had a secret weapon.

I found it the first time I made this marathon trip. I was halfway to campus and bored out of my wits. Music, I thought to myself, if only I had thought to bring music. 

This was back in the days of physical CDs, so while careening down the interstate, I blindly rooted around in the glove box. My hand landed upon one slim plastic case. 

Hallelujah. 

I had no idea what it might be, but whatever was on that CD, I was listening to it.

Under the Cork Tree by Fall Out Boy.

I slipped it into the player and never looked back.

For the next year and a half, I completed these five-hour long monthly missions and blasted that CD every time. I learned every word to every song and sang at the top of my lungs. When I got to the end of the album, I'd start over. My daughter knew when I'd arrived at her dorm not because I'd texted her but because she could hear my jams from her room on the third floor.

Once she got in the car, I'd pause my music for a few minutes to chat, catch up on her news, catch her up on mine. But once we got the small talk out of the way, bam, we were back into the music till we pulled up in the driveway at home. And the next day, we'd do it all over again. 

During these trips, Fall Out Boy seeped into my soul. I've enjoyed the music they've put out since then, but the memories of my Under The Cork Tree drives have lodged deep in my soul. And so it was pure joy last week to hear the boys - now middle aged men - croon those tunes directly into my ears. 

Though this song was from their album after Cork Tree, it fit so neatly in my headspace as I scream sang it along with the crowd as Fall Out Boy played it at the show.

One night and one more time,

Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories. 

* * * * * 

Photo credits once again to my firstborn. As usual, she had the wherewithall to take pics while I simply stood with my mouth hanging open.