Hootie

Yesterday, Jude had to leave early for work so J.P. and I ate breakfast together in the kitchen.  I was playing "jukebox," selecting random songs from my iPod and cueing them to what he thought of them.  I've always liked doing that - even back to college when I lived in the fraternity house and probably had 200+ albums.  The best part now is I have a captive audience in J.P.

Anyway, I played "Hold My Hand," Hootie and the Blowfish's breakout hit from long, long ago.  How long ago?  I'll get to that in a minute.

J.P. had me play the song several times, as he does when he likes a new song.  I got the Kappa Sigma paddle down from the wall in the kitchen where it hangs and played pretend guitar.  J.P. got tickled and as he laughed, spit out the milk he was drinking, which only made him (and me) laugh even harder.  There I stood, on a step stool in the kitchen, a 45-year old man with my 3 1/2 year old son, listening, laughing and singing along to Hootie.  Oh, did I mention the part where I have another son coming in about 10 days?

If it's true that you're as young as your feel - or in my case, act - then I'm going to be fine with two boys under the age of 5, I think.

Now, back to Hootie and the Blowfish and that song.  After I dropped J.P. off at school, I googled it.  "Hold My Hand" was released in July 1994.  1994!  17 + years ago.  I was 28 years old  That started me thinking - what was I doing in 1994, when that song first hit?  Well, I had just graduated from law school and was working at Manier, Herod, Hollabaugh & Smith in Nashville.  I was living at home, I believe, or I might have just moved into my first house.

I couldn't help but smile, as I wondered what my 28 year old self would have said if someone had told him he would be listening to Hootie's "Hold My Hand" 17 years later, in a kitchen of a house in downtown Nashville, laughing and singing along with his 3 1/2 year old son, a second son due in 10 days.  I'm guessing my 28 year old self wouldn't have believed it.

And you know what?  I wouldn't change a thing.  Not one damn thing.