No. 267 – Sea and Sand

Performer: The Who

Songwriter: Pete Townshend

Original Release: Quadrophenia

Year: 1973

Definitive Version: None.

After I got into Quadrophenia, despite her general feelings about The Who, this song became forever a Beth song, plain and simple. The line, “the girl I love is a perfect dresser” … that was Beth to a T.

Beth didn’t dress in the fashion of the day, which was a bit disappointing because I loved girls’ early 1980s fashion so much. Beth’s fashion was more conservative but very high class and very feminine. She always made it a point to look good, even when she dressed “casual.” I don’t think I ever saw her in a T-shirt except the fateful night when we consummated our relationship. Even her lingerie choices leaned to higher class merry widows and stockings instead of camisoles and panties. We never went anywhere where she wasn’t made up and not dressed to impress.

Consequently, we never went anywhere where Beth didn’t outdress me. I mean, I didn’t try to look like a bum. I shaved. I washed. I always wanted to look nice for Beth, but I had no real fashion sense or interest in dressing up any more fancily than was absolutely necessary. It wasn’t enough to keep up with Beth. The best I could hope for was matching her. But one day, I held up my end of the bargain.

In 1985, when I came home for Thanksgiving, I took Beth to see the Nutcracker. I wasn’t into the ballet—the real or Flint version—back then, but Beth wanted to go, and I wanted to please her, so I bought tickets for that Saturday night.

Unbeknownst to Beth, however, I made another purchase—a rental tuxedo. I figured, well, I’m taking my best gal out to a night of high-class entertainment, why not dress the part? I knew she was going to dress to the nines anyway.

When I showed up, Erin answered the door. Beth was around the corner in the den, waiting to make her entrance down the hallway as usual. Erin took one look at me and said, “woah.” Then she turned to Beth around the corner and said, “you better change.” And clear as a bell, I heard Beth ask, “Is he wearing a tux!?” My smile was ear to ear.

Beth peaked around the corner and saw that in fact I WAS wearing a tux, and the apologies began almost instantly: “Why did you do this? I don’t look good enough. I need to change. Why did you rent a tux?” Yes, she didn’t have on an evening gown, but she still looked great.

That wasn’t good enough for Beth, and she thought she would feel embarrassed at the theater. OK, if you want to change, go ahead. She did as quickly as she could, still apologizing that she didn’t look as good as she wanted to look. I did everything I could to make her feel beautiful later, but I have to say, I did outdress her that one night.