It’s August 23rd. A magical day on my calendar. It’s my boyfriend’s birthday. You say, I thought you were terminally single, Carol? Well, it’s my Forever Pretend Boyfriend’s birthday, Rick Springfield. On this beautiful day, 70 years ago (wow!) my hero was born in Australia. He had to travel a long way to get to my heart, but he did, and I am forever grateful. Our love has grown since approximately 1981, maybe early ’82.
Back in the early ’80s, Tiger Beat magazine, and others like it, were my staple. My little friends and I were just starting to like boys, but not the boys we knew, but the boys so beautifully placed on the covers of these awesome and reputable magazines. With the success of “Jessie’s Girl” and being a regular on General Hospital, my sweetheart was making the covers of these mags. Be Still My Heart!!!
As I mentioned yesterday, I was feeling a little lonely as a kid at that time. Falling “in love” with these teenage heartthrobs was a great bonding thing for girls my age. I saw this dreamboat and my friend Chrissie and I were smitten, no doubt!! We would spend hours waiting to hear him on the radio, and scream and giggle. We watched GH hoping and praying it would be a Dr. Noah Drake day!!! It was fantastic!!! When my dad remarried, and I started spending time in Kimberly before we moved there, I found another Rick Springfield lover, my friend Stacy!! All of the above things happened with her too, and she had MTV, so we could dedicate even more time to waiting for his videos to come on!! Glorious!!!
I was 12, and he was 32. But the age difference did not matter to me, I loved him. Today that would creep me out in no time, but the heart wants what the heart wants. When I was 14 was the first time I saw him in concert, at the Brown County Arena, with Stacy. Her mom drove us, it was awesome. He was beautiful, and he played his heart out for me, I mean us. I was truly disappointed he did not seek me out to start our life together that night. But I could be patient. I have seen him again, numerous times over the years. He really does put on a good show, my brother saw him at Summerfest a couple of years ago and said how impressed he was. And Mike can be a music snob at times, but he also loves the 80’s, as everyone should.
When I truly think back, and how my love grew, I know now it was out of necessity too. I needed something back then. We were going through tough things as a family, and I didn’t fully get all of it, but it was hard. Grabbing on to the teen heartthrob thing was something I could have. I could focus on Rick, me and Rick forever. Hearing him on the radio, seeing him on TV, was a hopeful thing when I wasn’t always feeling so strong. He was like my security blanket. And that is part of why I hang on now, his music and all of his other work he has done, books and movies now too, is a comfortable place for me. A safe place in my heart and my memories. Why wouldn’t I still love him?
So Rick turns 70 today. He still looks pretty good too. I hear he does Yoga. Right on. I am about to turn 50, all of a sudden that 20 year difference isn’t so creepy. I just need to get him to ditch his cute wife. Dammit. She is originally from Wisconsin, and she is a few years younger than he is. He was so close. Sigh… Happy Birthday My Dear Rick Springfield!! Thank you for all of the memories, even if I am the only one that has them in our relationship. You have no idea what you mean to me, and if you did, you would probably have a restraining issue ordered. Love you!!!!
Coco's Veiw of the World 