Springsteen's Dad

It's been a long time since I read this particular interview and good luck trying to go back and find it now, so forgive me if I get a few things wrong, but the gist of the story will be correct.

Springsteen had finally made it.

I believe it was his first time playing Madison Square Garden.

That's a big deal for anybody, let alone a Jersey boy.

He wanted his dad to come see him play.

He never had.

I believe his mom had a few times before, but never his dad and never his dad and mom together.

I mean it was all set up to be, "Hey look dad, I made it. See? Look at this. Look at your son now."

The relationship between Bruce and his dad is well chronicled.

One listen to "The River" all the way through ought to give you some idea.

"Turn down that GODDAMN guitar!'

Was an ongoing mantra in the Springsteen household.

So he meets his parents after the show.

Moms pretty ecstatic.

Dad?

Dad supposedly just shrugged his shoulders or something close to it shook Bruce's hand and went home.

At first Bruce was pretty upset. Seems like Bruce goes on to explain

that it didn't take him long to realize his expectations were wrong.

He should have been expecting the reaction he got, not the one he had hoped for.

The moral ?

Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do people are not going to like it.

My question is,

if you know that's the case?

Then why even bother trying to please them in the first place?

Love you.