ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Though his coal mining days have long passed and his life is now full of one mild regret after another, Peter Grince’s children tell The Advocate that he often finds solace in the music of Bruce Springsteen.
After he’s done listening to the Immortal Bard, the 67-year-old often looks disconnected from his surroundings.
He seems quite and deep in thought – as he was this afternoon when our reporter joined the Grince family in humble Betoota Heights home.
“See, this is what he does after he’s been in the shed listening to Bruce,” said his daughter, Amy.
“That song about going down to the river so something. He just sits in there and lets the song play over and over again. Dad just looks into space and tunes in. It’s amazing how his generation could actually just listen to music and be entertained by it.”
Peter’s son, Will, agreed.
“Yeah, it’s almost like the music takes him back to when he was like my age. Crazy huh? But the music is super depressing but, it’s all about coal mines shutting, workers strikes, illegal street racing and fast women who seem to live to break hearts.”
But neither of the kids are particularly worried about their old man; both understand that periods of deep introspection come more frequently as people get older.
Our reporter spoke briefly to Peter, who confirmed that he was feeling a bit scattered today.
More to come.
Gold…but what does the “Immortal Bard” got to do with the Boss?