Ground Report | Neil Young - The Bridge To Ben

Ground Report | Neil Young - The Bridge To Ben

I am a Neil Young fan. "Harvest Moon", and "Rust Never Sleeps" are in my tape/cd collection, and with my Zune pass I have been listening to his newer stuff.

Back in the early 90's I was working at the child welfare office in Hillsboro, Oregon. The second floor of the office building I worked at was just our office, but the first floor had various offices. One of these offices had a firm with whom Neil had some business with.

Neil Young was standing on the front steps of our office build talking with a guy from the firm.

Bobbie, a coworker/friend of mine ran down and got his autograph. I don't remember what she had him sign, but I remember her saying that he was really cool about it.

Bobbie has paralyzed vocal chords from a car accident in which she was a passenger years ago...when seat belts were not really a big deal. We both worked in support staff with child welfare. We had a ongoing joke that one day we would start a song and dance routine and quit our day jobs. The joke was that I would do the dancing, with my wild cerebral palsy movements, and Bobbie would sing with her sultry sounding voice.

I did not realize that Neil was familiar with cerebral palsy until some time later. At the time I was not as big of Neil Young fan as Bobbie was, and I did not want to bother him.

It was not until some time after this that I learned the Neil Young had a son who has cerebral palsy and that his wife, Pegi, co-founded The Bridge School for kids with cerebral palsy. Neil hosts a annual benefit concert for the school.

Jodie and I attended Holladay Center, a school for the physically disabled in Portland, Oregon, in the late 60's / early 70's. We underwent heavy regimens of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy. I was able to walk, so I helped push wheelchairs. We were eventually mainstreamed, but both of us highly value the special attention that the therapists and faculty at Holladay Center gave us.

I have always wished since then that I would have said "Hi" to him, that I would have know about The Bridge School and that I could have told him how wonderful his efforts are.

Pegi Young has a album out, and a Myspace page: www.myspace.com/pegiyoung. Her songs sound wonderful! A countrified Barbra Streisand?

Neil's "Old Man" is one of my all time faves. His harmonica sends chills down my spine. I am listening to "After the gold rush" right now. One of these days I will make it to a show.

Thank you Neil and Pegi for brightening the world with your gifts and talents.

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