Always Homeward Bound.

So far so good. The 5Th of January and the year 02009 has been great!

Started early with the Bouncing Souls annual Christmas concerts "Home For The Holidays". Only this year with The Stone Pony having to make repairs on there roof, this year it was "Homeless For The Holidays."

No matter.
Walking into Convention Hall on the boardwalk of Asbury Park I felt as if I were entering the Palace of Punk!!! I walked ahead of the friends who gave me a ride down. Kinda rude I thought but I was anxious to get inside to see friends I may not have been with in many months.

The first was Ronin Kaufman. He had come to make a video for his Blog http://www. issueoriented. com/. The expression on his face was not a happy one. I'd been phoning him for months so as to interview him for my On-Line radio show on http://www.HearNewBrunswick.Com.

He immediately apologized as I put my arms around is bulky build. He's filled out over the decade from the kid I remember attending Rutgers U. in the 1990's.

I held on to him for a long while. When I let him go my eyes were over flowing with liquid macho.
Yes, The Skinheads of New Jersey call it "Liquid Macho."
I choked out a, "Yea, I'm fine. I'm just really glad to see you."
He asked me no less then three times.
I answered in various ways, "I'm just really glad to see you."

"It's just I've never seen you so crumbly before."
I've been in a weepy mood for months now. At first I just chalked it up to drinking to much soy milk. But the events of 02008 have had an effect I'm still trying to figure out.

The suicide of a good friend in May and less than five months later the suicide of my eldest nephew. It never gets easier.
So yea, I was really glad to see him. I've been really glad to see people most of last year.

The show was great of course. Every band shined. As Gas Light Anthem performed I had a cheese burger with fries to help counteract the effects of all that soy coursing through my gonads.

I got a few looks from those in attendance who I suspect recognized me from the Souls video documentary. As I write what comes to mind is for every one who gave me a hand shake, how many were to intimidated to walk up and say "Hi."
Bugs me a bit but in the past I could be a moody prick. But I appreciate it now. Celebrity and Punk just don't go together in my mind.

I kept running into my friend Joe Koukos who ran security and helped to set up the show. To busy to talk we finally got to catch up after about 97% of the crowd had made there way outside.
He's pretty much done with the concert biz. He had to fight like hell to get his crew to run the show. Convention Hall and a healthy chunk of the boardwalk itself is no longer a part of Asbury New Jersey. It's private property owned by a corporation. They wanted to have a security firm handle the show. Joe stood up for those guys with rent to pay and families to feed, out of work till The Stone Pony re-opened.

Every show went off with out a hitch!

Another perfect paragraph to the last chapter of his career as booking agent and promoter. He's opening up a music store. His description, "A refugee camp for the alternative and punk scene."

More on that in the future.

I wanted to say goodbye before heading out. Back stage were the Souls plus some old and new friends. My main target was Timmy Chunks. I'd not seen him in years!
After speaking to Bryan for a bit I asked him where Timmy might be.
With that smile of his he said, "He's right behind you."

Sure enough there he was.
We hug and I feel the liquid Macho welling up in my eyes again.
Not as much as with Ronin but I think he could see how I felt.

He updated me on his family. I on my spoken word and book projects.
An exchange of new phone numbers and it was time for me to head out.
Arrived at The Asbury Lanes for more hanging out. No alcohol for tonight.
Felt more then fine as I was.

This year I "turn" fifty years of age. Funny how it's refered to as "turning."
As if you become someone else with the passing of a date on the calender.

The photo above was taken on my 40th birthday.
Who was that guy? what's happened to him since?
How many happy memories does he look back on. How many tears has he shed?
How many new memories will he be working on in the next four seasons.

Is he growing older in spirit or just in years?

After the ride back to New Brunswick I said my goodbyes and headed to a friends place where I'm welcome to crash. Not literally my home but it feels like it when I walk in.

Now I'm reminded of a question Ronin was asking folks at the show. "What is home to you?"

My answer, "Home is anywhere. It's anywhere your friends are."

Yea, 02009 has been great so far. It's been spent with silence in the morning and friends in the evening.



Rev. Pedro Angel Serrano