Last Sunday evening, I called my brother Tom to check in before my trip to New Orleans coming up this week. He told me that the Times-Picayune's Keith Spera was inviting everyone to write a letter to Bruce Springsteen in honor of his 2006 Jazz Fest performance and ahead of his return for Jazz Fest 2012. Tom was working on his letter and read some of it to me. We talked about our memories of that shared day in 2006 and he encouraged me to write a letter too. So much of those times are a blur for me, so I went upstairs while we were talking and pulled down the journals that held those dates. I found these two pieces from that time. After sleeping on it, I decided to write a letter too. Here's my Dear Boss:
Dear Bruce:
Your 2006 Jazz Fest show in New Orleans was a family affair. I went with my two brothers and some friends. Allen Toussaint's "Come Home" already had me in tears, but I was doing pretty well by the time you came up next on the same stage. During "My City in Ruins" my tears started in a pretty steady stream. When you reached the verse where you talked about the bodies floating on Canal Street, I lost it. My New Orleans brother held me in his arms and let me cry. You, your love and your music held us all and let us cry. You became part of our family that day.
I couldn't stay for the end of your show. I left in tears to walk to my nearby home of twenty-six years to wait on the front steps for everyone. I won't be able to be there this year, but thanks for loving us when we needed you more and coming back to celebrate us because you can. You'll always be more than "The Boss" to me.
Affectionately, Laury Bourgeois
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