Hokey Pokey

Hokey Pokey

You have to be over sixty to fully understand this blog. Back in the day when I was in high school, we had Friday night Sock Hops. This was the time when Rock and Roll was gaining popularity and American Band Stand was on TV. I confess I was not much of a dancer but with the right kind of music, I could cut a decent figure on the dance floor.

One of the funky dance songs of the time was the Hokey Pokey. It was imported from the U.K. and caught on with us dance crazed teenagers. If you want to hear the melody just check it out on Google. Accompanied with body moves, the lyrics went like this: “You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out, you put your right hand in, and you shake it all about. You do the hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.” The verses go on to left hand, right and left foot, head, butt and whole self. Quite a workout.

Why am I mentioning this in a blog? Earlier this year, while stopping at a bagel shop in Scappoose, Oregon my eye caught a poster with multicolored flowers and chickens. In big black letters, it read: “What if the Hokey Pokey is really what it’s all about?” I just started laughing.

I hadn’t thought about the Hokey Pokey in over fifty years. What are the chances of walking into a bagel shop a long way from home and catching sight of a blast from the past.  The melody, the words, and my graceful body movements flashed through my mind like a video clip.

I don’t put stock in the Hokey Pokey being what life is all about. But it does bring to mind a season of life that was focused on growing up, checking out the girls and praying that I would graduate. Looking back, life seemed a lot simpler. Not sure I can make those graceful dance moves any more, but the melody is still ringing in my head.

Oh, by the way, the bagels were great!