School Boy Heart

I got a school boy heart, a novelist eye
Stout sailor's legs and a license to fly
I came with nomad feet and some wandering toes
That walk up my longboard and hang off the nose

It was 1989 when me and my high school buddies (now post-college) young professionals with jobs, careers, serious girlfriends and mortgages bored with ourselves on a hot summer Saturday night, decided to head over to the Mann (Music Center) to check out this one-hit wonder (we thought) singer-songwriter from Florida named, Jimmy Buffett.

Me and Marie (married 7 years so far) and the aforementioned ‘Usual Suspects’ piled into a couple of cars with some hoagies and cases of beer and headed into the night not knowing what we were in store for.  Admittedly, this type of music was a departure from the (70’s) Classic Rock of our youth and Arena Rock that was closing out the 80’s decade.  We knew a couple of his “hit” songs played on AM radio, but that was about it.

Remember, this was years before this thing called the Internet was invented.  We could not follow the tour and setlists from previous shows.  In fact, if memory serves, only Jim had the new album (maybe a cassette tape?) entitled “Off to See the Lizard” and the Neville Brothers opened the show.  At the time, I knew very little about both of these facts.  Frankly, we were just a bunch of twenty-somethings looking to get wasted.  Looking for a good time…...  Yeah, life used to be that simple!

This week, thinking back to that particular show and all the shows, parties, tailgates and gatherings that have followed over the last 25 years have reminded me of many fond memories and brought back many smiles and laughs I enjoyed with my friends by my side.  Mostly, I recalled how we would plan for weeks leading up to the annual Buffett shows as if we were space engineers at NASA planning the next Space Shuttle launch!  I remembered standing in line at the Moorestown Mall (Boscov’s) and West Coast Video (long gone) on cold Saturday mornings in February trying to score concert tix for shows in August!

It would be impossible to list all the memories and moments, mostly because after 25 years, the details remain (quite understandably) a bit fuzzy.  You know that saying “If you remember the (fill-in-your-favorite-decade here) then you didn’t enjoy those years as well as you should have….”  Exactly…..

What I do vividly remember (with the help of some old photos) is Lauren and Sarah dressing up in cheap grass skirts (aged five or six) and all the years of all the group photos in the Camden parking lots before the show!  It was me and my friends enjoying a summertime gathering with some barefooted, smile on his face, beach bum providing us a fantastic musical soundtrack!  Those couple of shows at Citizens Bank Park were also pretty cool!   It was our annual summer pilgrimage to the Island of Escapism, even if for only a few hours.  We raised our margaritas and voices in unison singing these songs of life and love with the people who mattered the most.   

Somewhere along the line…..I grew up, sort of (see below).  I started buying Buffett’s old CD back catalogue.  I started reading his novels.  In between all the Margaritas, I actually started listening to the lyrics and words.  Suddenly, the King Parrot’s message made sense. 

Listening to your album (and CD) releases, I’ve learned many things from the characters you invented to sing your songs and tell your stories.  I’ve gained a greater appreciation for the environment, especially “Mother, Mother Ocean”.  In my early fifties, I now find myself enjoying a new summer hobby of surfing and passion for photographing “Life at the Beach”.

Listening to you sing about these faraway tropical islands has helped me develop feelings of “wanderlust” nurturing a healthy sense of exploration this past decade or so.  Watching you write a song about a tasty summer drink and the billion dollar empire it created, I’ve learned that I can (and should) follow my bliss to accomplish my own future dreams and aspirations. 

Laughing at the crazy situations your characters have gotten themselves into, I’ve learned that a sense of humor (along with a sense of purpose) are important qualities to display while on my personal excursion.  Both traits will serve me well as I start my journey into new careers of photography and journalism.  Life is often so serious.  There’s nothing wrong with having some fun and learning to stop talking yourself too seriously.  Laugh at the world and laugh at yourself.  When in doubt, repeat the previous actions!

So……here’s to you Jimmy and your Reefer bandmates!

At one time, this narrative was going to be my written homage to you when you were eventually claimed by the mystical and musical Gods for your final encore in the Party afterlife.  However, you have also taught me to live in the moment, so you and everyone get to read this tribute now!  (I’m sending a copy to your publicist later today).

I’m raising my virtual Margarita (of course) to you, my Key West friend.  While we’ve never met in person, I feel perhaps we’ve met and compared notes in another nautical dimension.  Specifically, when I’ve walked the beaches of Key West, Sanibel Island, St. Barths and Anguilla, I watched your songs come to life! 

We learn many life lessons from music.  Different messages from different musicians/different musical genres.

Jimmy - You’ve taught me to (always) have fun “Growing Older but Not Up”.  This pirate is greatly looking forward to 60 and hopefully 70.  If I never reach those milestones, I plan on having few regrets, plenty of stories to share and tons of photos to view marking my unique ride on the carousel timeline.

I am and will always be a “work in progress” and that’s okay with me.  If we had it all figured out…..what would be the point…….

‘Cause I got a school boy heart, a novelist eye
Stout sailor's legs and a license to fly
I got a bartender's ear and beachcomber's style
Piratical nerve and a vaudevillian style

Fins Up!

Scotty K

(A beachcomber from way back to the days of my youth in Brigantine and Wildwood, just a kid enjoying the sand and surf known as the Jersey Shore)

PS – I have (3) extra lawn tickets (no seats) for the upcoming August 19, 2014 concert at the SBC Center in Camden.  It could be the Kern Family’s last time seeing Buffett play on the East Coast.  Wanna join us?