AARON CONRAD

Back in the 80’s there was a song by some guy named Bruce Springsteen (maybe you have heard of him) called “My Hometown”. I can remember listening to that song in high school, over and over again. It was one of my favorites. I liked how “The Boss” told the story of being a little boy, riding behind the wheel with his dad and looking at his hometown. At the end of the song he says “I’m 35, I got a boy of my own now. Last night I sat him up, behind the wheel and said son take a good look around. This is your hometown”. I used to hear that and think of the day when I would set my son up behind the wheel of the car and drive him down the main street in Bedford, Ohio and show him his hometown. I was back home this weekend and a whole lot has changed since then! Wow. Now don’t get me wrong, I drove down main street, with my son in the car, but the picture was a little different than “The Boss” and I had painted it in my mind. What is so different you ask?
First off, I can’t set my son on my lap since most of the local law enforcement would probably frown highly on that. Second, the car that I had pictured in my mind has been replaced by the “mini-van”. The hometown I thought I would be his is now different since we moved from Bedford before he was ever born. It was funny to me because as a kid in high school, I didn’t envision driving through downtown, with three little people in rocket seats saying “this is your hometown”. Although it was much different that I had originally pictured it, I was reminded of how blessed I am to have the things that I do. So, no offense Mr. Springsteen, but to re-write your song I would say “I’m 34, I’ve got 3 children of my own now. Last night I sat them up, in their car seats and said kids take a good look around…this was My Hometown”…