Joe Jackson "Sunday Papers"

I was at a local auto shop back in January, to get my car inspected, and as I was talking to the guy behind the counter, his buddy, who'd been hanging out said, "Hey!  Are you PJ from mvyradio?"

Good ears.  He recognized my voice.

But times like that are pretty rare.  Mostly, I go through life anonymously.

In fact, I'd wager that there are folks who listen to mvyradio AND who have seen me around the town for years, who have no idea I'm "PJ from mvyradio."

But in the heat of the Save mvyradio campaign, we had reporters and photographers coming through the station on a regular basis.  The Vineyard Gazette, the MV Times and The Boston Globe were particularly generous with their coverage.

And a funny thing happened.  Immediately after these stories, folks I'd seen around for years would say, "You're the mvy guy!" for the first time making the connection to the voice on the radio and the skinny unshaven guy with the backpack, who never says anything.

How many Steamship ferry rides have I taken since moving to the Island 13 years ago?

I had a landmark moment happen.

I was late to catch a boat back to the Island.  I'd parked and hopped on the transport bus that drives you up to dockside.  9:29 for a 9:30 ferry.  As the bus was grinding to a stop, I could see the dock guys pulling the orange curtain across the car deck ramp.

For those of you who don't live here and don't know, when they pull the orange curtain, the ramp is CLOSED.

The City equivalent is when you get back to your car just as the Tow Truck driver has hitched up your vehicle.  It ain't coming down no-how, no way.

I leapt from the bus and started running, and something truly amazing happened.

One of the dock guys, someone I'd never spoken to before, yelled, "HEY PJ, HURRY UP!"

He opened the orange curtain and let me on.

Ask an Islander.  That stuff doesn't happen.

So thanks, newspaper friends and photographers, for pulling me out of the ether, making me look good and, at least for one day, making me somebody.


Hear the song on Youtube.