'Twas A Night In October

(Scroll to the bottom for the complete picture storybook)

'Twas a night in October When The Boss would come play
   To Hartford, Connecticut Cindy and I made our way...

We left around 2 on a warm autumn day
   And took 91-South singing Bruce all the way
It doesn't get any better for Cindy and me
   Than a Bruce Springsteen concert, and the pit, hopefully

The XL Center was tonight's concert setting
   We wanted pit tickets, we were hoping, we were betting
We got there by 3, good timing we thought
   But Cindy had forgotten the band-aids she brought

So back to the car she goes while I wait
   She's a pain in the neck, but still the best Springsteen date
We'll sing, dance, and cheer tonight, when our hero appears
   Like we've done many times over the last ten years...

So our detour was little it wasn't the worst
   But it did allow a couple to get ahead of us first 
So behind them we waited for the girl at the door
   To give us our wristbands: numbers 373 and 374

It was an hour or so 'til the drawing drew near
   So we're off to the bar for some snacks and a beer
We had a few drinks while texting with Bailey
   And talk Bruce, the lakehouse, my underwear...Really?

 Back at XL we await with the others
   More than 800 in all, born to run, blood brothers 
300 are chosen to be closest to The Boss
   If I'm not one of them it'll be a great loss

But Cindy wants better, she's greedy that way
   She says, "All I want is first ten, that'll be okay"
The crowd then goes silent for the man on top
   Of the building's front steps, you could hear a pin drop


Into a jar his hand goes and he pulls a number free
   Through a bullhorn he reads, "Number 3-7-3"
No way, no how...Is it true what he read?
   Number 3-7-3, is that what he said?!

The band-aids, the detour, was it luck or divine?
   Oh, who cares what it was, we're the first two in line!
Woo-hoo! Unbelievable! This day is the best
   On the stage next to Bruce our elbows will rest!

As Cindy and I await the concert to start
   We stand shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart
When the lights finally go out and E Street appears
   My heart beats wildly amongst the shouts and the cheers  

Out comes Max, Stevie, Nils, and the rest
   My heartbeat pounds harder like it's coming outa' my chest
Then out comes my hero with his guitar and a smile
   A picture-perfect moment, for this I've waited awhile

 
With Bruce and the band for three and a half hours long
   Cindy and I are in heaven singing along to every song...
There's Jackson Cage, Hungry Heart, and Pink Cadillac
   E Street blew the roof off with a raucous Kitty's Back

Incident, Point Blank and a solo For You
   Put a mist in my eye as some songs always do 
He took us to places where only few go
   Like Gypsy Angel Row with Crazy Janey and Killer Joe 

 We took Highway 9, Route 88, 10th Avenue

   We visited Kingstown, the swamps of Jersey, and Bellevue
We joined all saints and sinners along the Bruce Springsteen train
    Bobby Jean, the Big Man, Puerto Rican Jane

Dancing In The Dark brings a girl up to dance
   But Cindy would've been better having given the chance 
Because of this girl Bruce had felt my despair
   So he shook my hand and he touseled my hair!

Tenth Avenue Freeze Out was the final song played
   The band stood and took bows to all the smiles they made
One couple in particular I know
   Stood overwhelmed and amazed with their faces aglow

Cindy and I were left speechless watching Bruce wave goodbye
   It's amazing this man can make you this high
We grinned, we exhaled, and then grinned a lot more
   Our night was complete it was like none before

Faith was rewarded we thought when it ended
   Fans like us at least once the gods must have intended
For a night like no other for Cindy and me
   And our new favorite number, number 373.

'Twas A Night In October