JEN AND THE EARWORM

Jen on the Edge wrote about a song she heard back on the 70's when she was 5.  In the mid-70's I was in college so my take on the music was a little different - but I do remember the songs she wrote about.

Which led me to think about a meaningful summer song from that decade - the summer of 1970.  I was hanging out with some older kids from my neighborhood that summer - which happened because Jim Boomer lived on my street.  He had a pool table in the garage and it became the hangout. By my proximity, and the lopsided boy-girl ratios, I was invited in.

There was a lot of bad pool playing, driving to Jolly's Burgers to visit the Goetz brothers on the nights they were working, some swimming and a new game we invented called mud frisbee which we played on the high school fields the nights after they watered. Major dirty fun.

One of the guys was new in town and he sort of showed some interest in me.  It was pretty subtle and I was not one for catching on, but Gail, my new BFF was urging me to pay more attention to him.  I remember his name was Tony Pontious and that he had longish red hair.  With just a little encouragement, he did ask me out.  I don't recall what we did - but I do recall it was our only date because I did something he found unforgivable.

That summer this song was big and I really liked it.

Tony bought the 45 for me (okay, I don't want to hear "What is a 45?",  look it up.) He gave it to me when we were over at his house and I was really touched and excited that he gave me a gift.  But when we left - I left it behind.

That was it - he pretty much never talked to me again.

But it was still the best summer of my life.