Like many a youth of my (or any) generation, I served a sentence at the requisite fast food restaurant. My prison of choice was McDonald’s, where I slaved away 20-30 hours a week during my junior and senior years of high school. Minimum wage in 1982-1983 was $3.35, so my take-home was $60-90 a week. Pitiful from today’s perspective, but more than enough to keep me in gas and support the occasional movie date (tickets were $3 each) and trips to the mall.
Friday and Saturday I worked as a closer, from 4:00pm - 1:30am. The closing crew was pretty regular: me, Troy, Judy, Sarah, Kim, Gordon, Porter and a few others. Sometimes, after shift, we’d get together and do a little partying, enjoying a few cold beers pulled from the green 5-gallon pickle bucket (courtesy of McDonald’s) stuffed with ice (also courtesy of McDonald’s) that had been chilling in the trunk of my car.
One night we rolled out of the parking lot after closing and headed down to park behind a nearby school. We popped a few and put on an Eagles tape (you remember cassette tapes don’t you?). Troy and I were in the front seat, Judy and Sarah in the back. It was a beautiful spring night, a slight breeze, the stars bits of glass on black cloth. The radio cast a faint blue light.
We drank our Michelob (the high schooler’s beer of choice in the early 80s) and listened. After the the song finished, Judy sighed and said “Now that’s harmony”.
Seven Brides Road, by The Eagles
What memories does this song make you think of?
