My favorite Rust Belt Rocker John Eddie has an exuberant song celebrating the blue collar holiday that comes 52 (or 26, or 24) times a year. Springsteen has a couple on the topic himself.
"Pay day" Eddie sings on the chorus. "Get out of my way." The world is new and all is possible. One more time the counter is reset and you have a chance, however slim, to not screw it up again. The challenge to stretch to the next one begins anew.
The joyous song used to evoke penny piching memories of college and early married life.
These days, he's playing my song.
No longer do I run to the bank racing to beat the checks I write (I used to have a friend who put pin holes in the routing numbers claiming it boughr her several days float). I know my online balance to the penny and check to confirm reciept of funds immediately after the scheduled arrival. (It's not midnight, it's about 12:02).
After all those year of my checks and his checks going into a big pile of money that seemed to give us everything we wanted and then a little more -- sudden unemployment, living in two towns, and supporting two households as we wait for the house to sell has taken its toll. Paydays are again eagerly anticipated.
My conditions for having lunch with a buddy yesterday were any place that took debit cards and I could get out of for under $9.87 including tip.
(It is a noble truth that people with blue collar/ service backgrounds rarely, if ever, stiff a tip.)
But today the world is new. I could spend $12, $14, even $500 on lunch today (OK, so I couldn't pay the rent in that scenario, but I can't really think of any food item that would be worth that much anyway.)
I'll stop at the bank on the way to work and revel for a moment in the crisp bills I will count twice before I put them in my wallet.
And on the way to the symphony office, I'll listen to John Eddie as loud at my car stereo will allow.


Copyright 2005 Judi Griggs