Thunderbolt

This is the centerfold of the Journey "Frontiers" tour program. This image is identical to a poster we had hanging on the basement wall in the old North Olmsted house. I spent many nights with Journey playing on the stereo and staring at that poster.

Tonight I was given this Journey tour program from their 1983 "Frontiers" tour. I went to this concert with my friend, Matt B., who passed away nearly 12 years ago. We went to the show with his mom and sat behind the stage. That was fine by me because I got a better view of Steve Smith playing drums. Bryan Adams was an up and comer and the opening act. Matt's brother gave this to me. I will treasure it.

This was written soon after the death of my brother-in-law, Seann. It' been five years since he left us. The void of his loss still stings. -- SM I could sense a presence at the foot of my bed; someone standing there, waiting for me to wake up. Raising my head, my eyes fought their way through the haze caused by the alcohol and turkey I’d consumed the night before. It was my brother-in-law, Seann, dressed in his motorcycle jacket and his backpack hanging over one shoulder. His mouth curled into the cocksure smile that never seemed to leave his face. The night before, Thanksgiving, he’d joined us for a feast at my brother’s house. We hadn’t seen him in a while and it was a pleasure to catch up. All in attendance came from my sister-in-law’s side of the family and I always found it beautiful that Seann could effortlessly fit in with them.   Just as they had welcomed Julie and me into their lives many years ago, they did the same with Seann. It helped that he was so personable an...