Wondering About What You're Doing Now And When You're Coming Back

Sometimes a song just plays on the radio or my iPodTouch or Pandora and I'm immediately sent back to another time. To another place.

Today it was "Story of my Life" by Social Distortion.

If you don't know the song, then really, I don't even want to know you. Seriously. The song is a classic, not to mention the fact that it was a hit and because of that it's been over played so much since it came out in 1990.

As soon as the vocals kick in I'm transported back to high school:

High school seemed like such a blur
I didn't have much interest in sports or school elections
And in class I dreamed all day
About a rock 'n' roll weekend
And the girl in the front of the room
So close yet so far
Y'know she never seemed to notice
That this silly school-boy crush wasn't just pretend
Life goes by so fast
You only want to do what you think is right
Close your eyes and then it's past;
The story of my life

You see what I'm saying, yes?
That was me in high school. I was that kid dreaming of the weekend full of good times, debauchery and... well you get the picture.

The great thing about this song is that it's not just about being a kid (look at the song title). The next bit transports me to my old stomping grounds:

And I went down to my old neighborhood
The faces have all changed, there's no one left to talk to
And the pool hall I loved as a kid is now a seven eleven

Most of the places I hung out at are torn down or have changed names or are unrecognizable. I'm sure everyone has this in their life. The diner my friends and I used to hang out at is burned to the ground. The mall we used to cause trouble in has closed up. Even my high school is gone. Now it's a Wal-Mart.

It's sad, you know? When I was growing up I hated Niagara Falls, but I also believed it would always be there for me if things got tough in the real world. I mean, I don't think I really thought about it like I am now, but no one expects things to change, do they? No one thinks the things that are comforting to them will disappear. I swear to God the only thing that hasn't changed is my parents' living room and kitchen. So I guess I still have that comfort when I need it.

I think the saddest part of all of this is that my friends are gone. I've talked about this before. Some have died, some have moved away and some have just vanished. I miss those guys (and girls). I miss the times we had. I miss being young and reckless.

You're such a sad sap, chaz.

Yeah, I guess you're right. I need to live in the now. I need to be a grown up. I need to stop thinking about the past.

Good times come and good times go
I only wish the good times would last a little longer
I think about the good times we had and why they had to end

This is the reason I'm still waiting for the invention of the Time Machine. Not to see the Constitution being written or to see real life dinosaurs, but to see my friends and stay in that time and place.

For those who do not know the song, or would like a refresher, here's the original video for "Story of my Life" by Social D.