subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Nov 08 2009 

Published: June 18, 2009 11:16 pm    print this story  

Ken Hart: ‘Glory Days’... gone, not forgotten

OK, I am now officially old.

My certificate of admission to the OFCA (Old Fogies’ Club of America) landed in my mailbox a few days ago.

No, it wasn’t an invitation to join AARP. That’s still a couple of years away. (And pretty darned depressing to think about, too, come to think of it.)

In this case, though, the cold dose of reality my postman left for me was an invitation to attend my 30-year high school reunion, coming up Labor Day weekend.

My first thought upon opening the envelope was, “Hey, maybe I can see my friend who was a big baseball player back in high school ... you know, the one who could throw that speedball by you, make you look like a fool.”

OK, the above reference was thrown in as a treat for my fellow Springsteen fans. And, while I’m digressing, here’s something I’ve always wondered:

Why did Bruce choose to use the term “speedball” in the song “Glory Days?” “Fastball,” obviously, is the more common word for a high-velocity baseball pitch. A “speedball,” on the other hand — well, that’s a mixture of heroin and cocaine, the combo that killed John Belushi.

Oh, well. That’s one of the many questions I’d love to one day have the opportunity to ask The Boss.

We now return to our regularly scheduled column ...

Thirty years? Holy crap!

That was my real first reaction when I opened and read the reunion invitation.

Even though I’d known for some time that the reunion was in the planning stages, actually receiving notice of it was still a bit of a shock to the system.

It just doesn’t seem possible — not even remotely so — that much time could have elapsed since I walked across the stage and collected my sheepskin.

It’s hard to believe, too, how much the world has changed since then.

Back then, we listened to Bob Seger and Lynynrd Skynyrd on eight-track tapes. Today, we listen to them on iPods.

I still remember paying eight bucks for the ticket to the very first concert I ever saw — Aerosmith at the venue that was then known as the Huntington Civic Center.

Thirty years later, Aerosmith is still touring. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed. But, I doubt a ticket for one of their shows can be had for much less than 50 bucks — including the ticket vendors’ tacked-on fees, naturally.

It seemed, too, that even though people obviously had their differences back then, we weren’t split into warring factions, like we seem to be today.

I’m really not one of those people who pines to be 18 again. It’s a pointless waste of time and energy to do so, in my most humble opinion. Besides, I can’t think of too many aspects of my life that aren’t better today, at age 48, than they were 30 years ago.

That’s not to say, though, that I wouldn’t jump at the chance to relive the past 30 years, were that possible, especially if I could do so with the benefit of what I’ve learned through 30 years of life experience.

I suspect I’m not alone in that regard.

Youth is, indeed, wasted on the young. Truer words were never spoken.

Glory days. They’ll pass you by.

Lot of truth in those words, too.

KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.

print this story  



autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

PLANT ELECTRICIAN
SUPERIOR FIBERS L.L.C.
Leaders in HVAC Filtration, Paint Arrestors, and FRP Products is seeking applicants for Plan
...>MORE

PARTS COUNTER PERSON
Parts sales, shipping & receiving, automotive knowledge req’d. Apply Don Hall GM Supercenter or send resume to PO Box ...>MORE

LIBRARY POSITION
LIBRARY: 1 part time Page position. Visit thebookplace.org for complete job description & online application. Deadlin...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Cars, RVs and Boats

BOAT MOTOR
MERCURY MOTOR- ‘98/99, 200 hp Optimax, exc. cond, $3500. 928-5415...>MORE

CHEROKEE
2000 Jeep, runs and looks great, $4995. 606-836-4020 or 606-923-4137....>MORE

CHEVY STEPSIDE
1993, 4WD, 5 spd., V6, $3,000 OBO. 606-922-6312. ...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Real Estate

OHIO HOME FOR SALE
3 lg. BR, 1BA, formal LR/DR, FR w/FP, 5 ac. Move in! 740-894-8861. ...>MORE

BELLEFONTE HOME FOR SALE
5 BR, 2 BA, 2 lg. gar., lg. ing. pool, 1.2+ ac. $209k. 324-5050...>MORE

THREE BEDROOM HOME
SOUTH SHORE- 3BR, 1BA, Holly Ave, $28,000. Possible owner financing. (615)866-8650 or email
41hollyave@gmail.com
...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Deal of the Day

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE
Bow Flex TC5000 tread climber $1,000. Mini bike $225 Like new! 232-6433...>MORE

USED TIRES FOR SALE
Different Sizes. Call for Pricing, 325-8745....>MORE

WHITES METAL DETECTOR
DFX, Spectrum E Series, like new, $800. 928-6607....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index