Bikers Stop to Help Stranded Fellow Biker Who Turns Out to be Bruce Springsteen

In this Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, photo provided by Ryan Bailey, Dan Barkalow, left, and Bruce Springsteen poses for a photo in Wall Township, N.J. Barkalow and a group from the Freehold American Legion was riding after a Veterans Day event Friday when they pulled over to help a stranded motorcyclist who turned out to be The Boss.Ryan Bailey / AP

Finding a world-famous musician on the side of the road feels more like a Bob Dylan thing, but as with all things, it's different in Jersey. A group of Freehold American Legion members found this out on this past Veterans Day, when they stopped to help a fellow motorcyclist stranded on the side of the road — that fellow motorcyclist turned out to be one Bruce Springsteen. The fellas tried to help Springsteen fix his bike, and when that didn't pan out, they gave him a ride to a nearby bar, where he chatted with them about his past in Freehold and waited for his ride. I know Bruuuuuce has a family and all, but I like to imagine that his ride was Little Steven Van Zandt. I also wonder if Springsteen was out there on the road doing some soul-searching in the wake of last Tuesday's election.

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This may sound like it has all of the classic elements of a Bruce Springsteen song, but it's hard to pinpoint which album, exactly, that song would appear on.

It's not Born to Run, because Springsteen didn't hop on the back of the helper's motorcycle and just keep driving, pushing that worked-up engine all night, blowing out of this town that's killing him and his girl. Similarly, it's not Born in the USA, because he didn't do that but with fewer words.

It's not Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ, because Springsteen is much older now.

It's not Nebraska, because Springsteen had not just accidentally murdered someone, nor was he accidentally murdered by anyone else. Plus, it sounds like he was friendly and that the incident did not take place in the cold dead of night.

It's not Lucky Town, because that one just doesn't have a motorcycle vibe, am I right?

It's not Human Touch, because lots of people are actually going to hear this story. Heyo!

I don't know whether they talked about 9/11, so it might have been The Rising, but from the bikers' report it doesn't sound like Springsteen was enormously pissed off, election results notwithstanding, so Wrecking Ball seems unlikely. Really, it seems like Working on a Dream is the closest: not the most incredible story, but a nice one.

The point is, this imparts a valuable lesson: If you see someone broken down on the side of the road in New Jersey, stop, because it could be Bruce Springsteen (or someone else who needs your help). However, if you see someone broken down on the side of the road in New Jersey eating an entire pizza, you can probably keep driving because it could be Chris Christie. 
