Sometimes Even a "Concert Mom" Has to Say No
My sons, like many college students, are concert-goers. They come by it honestly, I suppose. I’ve been going to concerts since 1976. My first was The Beach Boys. The ticket was $5. Times have changed. And while I’ve gotten much more selective in my concert attending, they know there is one performer I will go to extremes to see. They respect my dedication. Partly because they know it makes it easier for them. I’ve crossed several state lines, a time zone, and driven 7 hours round trip (on a work night, with two broken legs) to see Springsteen, and they’ve done the same (without the broken legs, I should add) for Dave. The Dave Matthews Band for the uninitiated.
So, when my #1 Son called to get my take on his latest concert plan, I was ready to say yes. In the past few years, I’ve said yes to he and his two best buddies taking a 10-day driving tour of the Midwest to see 7 shows. I said yes to him leaving a family vacation a day early so the same two friends could pick him up and head to NYC for two shows. I even said yes this past fall when he’d won two tickets to a show at West Point which required him to buy an airline ticket from Ohio (where he’s in college) and miss two days of classes.
But this time, I had to say no.
Because it would be the night before his college graduation. The night when family from several time zones would be congregating in Columbus, Ohio to watch him graduate and celebrate with him. Now, as he pointed out to me, this was a once in a lifetime event. The concert, not the graduation. Dave would be performing at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. His (#1 Son's) hometown. His favorite band playing in his favorite team’s home. He said to me, “Mom, it’d be like Springsteen playing at Wrigley Field. Or Lambeau.” I told him I understood that, and I sympathized, and I wished I could say yes, but I just couldn’t.
He asked one more time if that was a firm no. It was. He sounded unconvinced and I suspected he’d still check to see if there were any flights that might make it workable—you know, him seeing the concert and being back at OSU in plenty of time to don his cap and gown.
But then, a few days ago this same son called to thank me for making him do the right thing. As he said, it would be rude to not be with all the people who had supported him and looked out for him his whole life.
It felt good to know that not only had I passed on a love of concerts but also a love of family.
Labels: college, concerts, Dave Matthews Band, Family: Never a dull moment, parenting, Springsteen, teens
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