Queen Bea, Little Steven & Backward Underwear

Allow me a brief indulgence to share a short story that involves my almost 92-year-old mom, Steven Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and underwear put on backward.

Unlike my other blog posts, this isn’t about marketing. But it is a story about the power of superstition, ritual and saying yes to the twists and turns of life.

My Grandma Fannie, my mother’s mom had some beautiful sayings that were old wives’ tales. Whether they came from her Jewish immigrant upbringing or were fanciful ideas of her own, they were part superstitions and part watchwords she lived by.  I can still hear her sweet, trembly voice teaching us these essential life lessons.

• When you enter a house, always walk in with your right foot first.
• If you had a button sewn on while you wear a garment, put a piece of thread in your mouth.
• When you put on your clothes backward, you are going to get a surprise.

Backward Surprise

Wednesday, May 8, 2019, was like most other days for my Mom. She got up slowly and went to the kitchen to make her Dunkin Donut coffee. She turned on NBC’s Today Show to see the latest news. With her hearing aids firmly in place, she looked on her iPhone to check out the newest family videos and photos shared on her Facebook and Instagram pages. She waited for The View to come on after watching Rachael Ray. It was a typical Wednesday.

But on this Wednesday, mom had one other thing on her to do list. She was invited to go on stage in Asbury Park, and dance with Steven Van Zandt’s band The Disciples of Soul as the group was beginning the Summer of Sorcery Tour for 2019. The concert was also the celebration and party for a new album release.

Steven’s wife Maureen is friends with my brother Mitch. They share a passion around music and rock history and Steven’s non-profit called teachrock.org She is a warm, generous and talented artist that Mitch has been fortunate to get to know through his devotion to Steven’s music. Maureen invited Mitch to bring our mom to be in the show and for her to dance on stage for a few minutes. She thought this would be a hoot! Steven has always been beyond gracious to our mom and loves to call her Queen Bea.

I told Mitch, I thought this was a crazy idea as Mom was recuperating from some physical challenges. My sister Diane was also concerned that this could be too much for her recently having recovered from some back and leg pains.

On top of her recent physical setback, Mitch’s daughter Georgia is graduating from Maryland on in a few weeks and Mom is going to meet her fifth great-grandchild when our daughter Sarah, her husband Adam and our grandson Bodhi Kai comes to Springfield in early June from Hawaii where they live. Mom needed to rest and keep up her strength.

But being the youngest sibling in the family, my brother Mitch never heard the word no during his childhood. He said, she’ll be fine. I’m more worried about me.

 Backward Underwear

As the day wore on, Mom gets dressed and immediately realizes she put her underwear on backward. Her first thought was the wisdom from her mother, Fannie:

“If you put your clothes on backward, you are going to get a surprise.”

Mom thought, “you never know what might happen or who I might meet.” So, in the spirit of Grandma Fannie, Mom left her underwear on backward and proceeded to get dressed.

She didn’t tell Mitch, our sister Diane or anyone about her little ritual. I’m glad she didn’t share, you know that whole TMI thing.

The prospect of a surprise was so enticing that Mom decided to endure a little discomfort with her undulating undergarments.  I don’t know what kind of surprise mom expected, but she wasn’t taking any chances even if it meant a little bit of trouble with her self-inflicted wedgie, she was up to the task.

At the Theatre

Mitch and Mom got to the theatre early which is required if your name is Slater. It is in our family crest; thou shalt show up first all the time. Of course, it is ironic that the word later is embedded in our last name.

The dress rehearsal found mom sitting slightly off stage, and one of the dancers came and got her and brought her on stage to dance during the song Soul Power Twistin. The rehearsal went off perfectly — no surprises, except the one hidden under her pants.

Mom has never been a performer or involved in the theatre. That was a role always reserved for her beloved sister Annette, my brother Mitch and our talented niece Jaime. Besides appearing in a JDate ad last year, mom is usually the one cheering from the front row of the audience, not center stage. Did I mention she was on a billboard in NYC for JDate, the Jewish date matching service at age 90?

Mom had first introduced Steven’s band at a show in Staten Island last year, so she was excited to be asked to be part of the fun again, even if she experiencing a little bit of a secret wardrobe malfunction.

Dancing in the Light

When the time came, Mom was brought out onstage and bedazzled with a pink boa to add just the right touch to her outfit. Steven introduced Queen Bea, and she swayed and danced and it brought the audience to their feet. Mitch was sharing all of this on FaceTime live so everyone in the family and all of Mitch’s followers could enjoy the show.

Everything was perfect and, with puffer in hand, she was a regular Ginger Rogers. You can watch mom dancing on stage here.

Backstage Surprise

When the song ended, Mom was brought backstage and given a comfy chair to sit and rest. A dancer said that it would be best for her to relax for a little while and not try to go back into the audience with Mitch. She mentioned a surprise guest was coming and that might bring a little craziness to the aisle.

Thanks to our sister Diane, Mom’s new fully-charged hearing aids were at peak performance.  And when Mom heard the phrase – a surprise guest, her ears perked up. In walks Bruce Springsteen and sits down next to mom.

Hi Bea, I’m Bruce.

The special surprise had happened, just as Grandma Fannie said it would. She was a bit shell shocked but managed to have a brief and lovely conversation with The Boss. Mom said that he was kind, authentic and normal and didn’t act like a celebrity. She told him she loved him on Broadway too and that she was honored to be invited by Maureen and Steven to be part of today’s festivities.

Life’s Surprises

So, maybe there isn’t a moral to this story but a little life lesson to learn.

When you say yes and take a leap of faith, sometimes you might find yourself in a wonderful world filled with surprises. Being open to all the universe has in store for you, sometimes requires taking a chance.

And the next time you put your clothes on backward, don’t try and correct your mistake. Go out in the world in an awakened state and try something new without overthinking it. Consider channeling my Grandma Fannie and my mom, Queen Bea and trust the universe.

You never know what type of surprise might come and sit down right next to you and say hello.

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Thank you to Maureen and Steven for showing so much kindness to our mom, Queen Bea. Your gracious gesture to invite her to the concert and to dance on stage has brought joy to our family and friends. Here is a short thank you video my brother recorded of Queen Bea.

Photography credit to:

Rich Russo for the photograph of mom with Bruce Springsteen. Jeff Crespi, John Cavanaugh and Mark Krajnak of Mom on stage with Steven and The Disciples of Soul. The featured photograph is by John Cavanaugh.

You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com  Call me. 919 720 0995.  Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com  The conversation is free, and we can explore working together.