Credit: Henry Ruggeri, Milan, Italy, July 3, 2016Back in March, Bruce Springsteen wrote a tardy note for a nine-year-old fan who came to see his concert in Los Angeles to bring to school the next day, and now the Boss has done a similar favor for a youngster who attended his book-signing event Thursday in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a local fifth-grader named Michael Fenerty skipped school to go with his dad to Springsteen’s meet-and-greet at the Philadelphia Free Library, and was able to get the Boss to sign a note explaining the very important reason why he missed his classes.
Fenerty’s father, Mike — a lawyer and former teacher — told The Inquirer that he planned ahead for the event, calling the school to find out the proper procedure for a student taking a day off.
“He said we should get Bruce to write an absence note,” explained Mike, so he and his son typed one up in advance that read: “Dear Principal Brown, Please excuse Michael Fenerty from being late or absent from school today. He came to the Free Library…to meet meet and to get a copy of my book. Yours truly, Bruce Springsteen.”
Michael then presented it to Springsteen at the meet-and-greet.
“My son said, ‘Bruce, would you sign my absence note?’ [Springsteen] lit up. He was affectionate toward Michael as soon as he saw him,” Mike told the newspaper. “He said, ‘I have to read it first, that’s how I got in trouble with my first contract.’ He said, ‘I hope you don’t get in trouble.'”
Fenerty added, “My son was very starstruck — it was a very cool experience.”
Meanwhile, Mike also admitted that he kept the actual Bruce-signed copy of the note, while his son brought a photocopy to present to his principal.
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