A Napkin Story

hedavehedave Posts: 201
edited June 2010 in The Porch
Had a story I thought I'd share tonight. I have about 9 or 10 PJ stickers on my car, one that even says "Got Pearl Jam?" I know, totally lame. Haha. Now, let me preface this story with the fact that over the past two years, my girlfriend has slowly begun to understand the obsession I've had for almost 20 years now. So, here it is:

I was out at the local Italian place. When we were walking out, there was a napkin slipped in between the driver-side door and the window. Before I opened it, a woman walked over and asked me "is this your car?" I said yes, of course. She then cried for a moment. She was new to Riverside and said that Pearl Jam used to be her "son's favorite band." She shared her son's battle with cancer, and the final show he attended in Washington in May of 2006. She continued to tell me how wonderful it was to know that there was someone else who shared her son's love for Pearl Jam: "He loved them so much." Once I tried to pull back the sobs myself, I realized that her note explained all that she had shared with an added "thank you." She hoped I didn't mind a note on a napkin. It was all she'd had. With an embrace goodbye, she and her husband drove quietly away...

When I was back in the car, my girlfriend turned to me with the biggest WTF-look on her face and only said, "Wow!" She then replied: "I think I'm starting to understand..."
He who forgets will be destined to remember...
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Kilgore_TroutKilgore_Trout Posts: 7,334
    thats awesome :D

    terrible about the son though...

    thanks for sharing
    "Senza speme vivemo in disio"

    http://seanbriceart.com/
  • Gary CarterGary Carter Posts: 14,077
    thats awesome :D

    terrible about the son though...

    thanks for sharing
    +1
    Ron: I just don't feel like going out tonight
    Sammi: Wanna just break up?

  • FifthelementFifthelement Lotusland Posts: 6,965
    Wow! What an amazing anecdote . . . the power of Pearl Jam. Thank you so much for sharing it. Btw, I was listening to Other Side as I was reading this :chills: May her son rest in peace.
    "What the CANUCK happened?!? - Esquimalt Barber Shop
  • CazzaBGirlCazzaBGirl Posts: 234
    What a beautiful story.....
    Its still amazes me that PJ can bring people together for all different reasons.

    I lost my only sister only 5months after i took her too her first PJ show back in 2006,
    such great memories that will stay with me forever ;)
    Hold on to the thread....The currents will shift....Glide me towards you....

    I know someday you'll have a beautiful life....
  • BLACK35BLACK35 Hanover, Ontario Posts: 22,938
    Cool little story

    May her son rest in peace
    2005 - London
    2009 - Toronto
    2010 - Buffalo
    2011 - Toronto 1&2
    2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
    2014 - Cincinnati, St. Louis, Detroit
    2016 - Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Ottawa, Toronto 1
    2018 - Fenway 1&2
    2022 - Hamilton, Toronto
    2023 - Chicago 1&2
    2024 - Las Vegas 1&2
  • stargirl69stargirl69 Posts: 6,387
    What a sad yet uplifting story ... Pearl Jam have touched so many lives
    “There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen”
  • illegal pantsillegal pants Posts: 13,471
    ohhhhh... beautiful, thank you for sharing your story
    wah
  • he.who.forgetshe.who.forgets Posts: 4,593
    thanks for sharing this story...makes me wanna throw some stickers on the old ride myself
    We were but stones your light made us stars
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    I'm so glad you two met and enjoyed this meaningful moment. Now you have a napkin story to put with your PJ treasures and she a face and a hug from a boy not unlike her own, a son she is aching to hold again.
  • P-JamP-Jam Posts: 807
    What a sad yet touching story. Thank you for sharing!
  • FahkaFahka Posts: 3,187
    what a beautiful story, thank you so much for sharing.. I was actually at the same show as the womans son's last :( This really hits to home :cry:
  • PureandEasyPureandEasy Posts: 5,818
    God, I would have been sobbing with that woman, what a nice thing though for her to reach out to you with such a touching story.
    Don't come closer or I'll have to go
  • TT8270TT8270 Posts: 429
    134xxx
    Soundgarden - 1996-10-15
    Pearl Jam - 2000-06-30
    Fugazi - 2000-10-10
    The Mars Volta - 2003-03-24
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