We met at the University of Washington, Seattle campus. It wasn’t the whole “I Saw Her Standing There” across-the-crowded-room thing of the Beatle’s era, but it was close.
It wasn’t 1963 – the debut of the Beatles opening track in their album “Please Please Me” – rather it was 1968. She wasn’t seventeen and we didn’t dance.
But we did bowl. Not particularly good but good enough on our first date to win top combined score of my frat brothers and their dates, first prize for which was the released-just-the-year-before huge hit by Peter, Paul and Mary “I’m in Love with a Big Blue Frog.”
To this day, 48 years of marriage later, we still play ‘our song’ – the big blue frog song – whenever on a road trip our grandchild number 10 begins to cry, who, upon hearing “it’s not as bad as it appears, He wears glasses and he’s six foot three” immediately becomes quiet.
It’s magical. Instantaneous. Works every time. No other song has that effect.
I don’t wear glasses (yet) and I’m not six foot three (add two inches more). Neither do I have rhythm, nor a PhD.
But I do have a keeper.
Which is the name – “It’s a Keeper” – of the Bait and Tackle Shop in Janesville, Wisconsin where on their Facebook page you can post your picture of your prized catch.
Like mine posted here.
‘Keep’ not only refers to a whopper but to weaponry. “The militia defended the city with bows and arrows from the keep.”
Which is possibly what the psalmist had in mind when he compared children to arrows:
“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
Like mine is.
