Completely out of it.
by gbsmith4
About 30 years ago, when I still lived in the eastern PA area, I dated a girl who lived in Philadelphia. On our first — and subsequently, last — date, I casually mentioned something about “Dr. J.” To which she responded, “who?”
I was stunned. I mean the 76ers were on the rise, they had a great team, and Julius Erving (Dr. J.) was already an icon. How could anyone still breathing — and particularly living within 10 miles of where he played — not know who he was?
It wasn’t the last time I met someone “out of it.” Unfortunately, in most future encounters, that person was most likely….me.
I clearly remember the first time I had apparently entered some sort of time warp. The year was 1983, and I was riding in the car with some of my IBM cronies. A song comes on the radio and I love it. “Who is that band?” “OMG: they’re fantastic.” “Are they new?”
The song was “Good times roll” by The Cars…released in 1978. I must have been asleep that year as a) I had never heard of The Cars until that day, and b) had never heard the song.
After that episode, I found I was really starting to fall behind on cultural “things I needed to know” but didn’t feel too badly. Certainly when I hit my 40s, I didn’t mind missing the whole rap thing, and by the time I hit my 50s, I couldn’t name any of the important vampire movies. Or TV series. Or even tell the difference.
Anyway, I was minding my own business this past weekend, intently watching the Men’s final at Wimbledon, when they zoomed in on the Royal Box and showed this woman:
Now, of course I knew who it was: Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Whatever.
But — and here’s the important point — somewhere along the way I completely missed that this woman is….absolutely gorgeous. (No, Nancy doesn’t mind me noticing. It’s not like Middleton’s available….) I mean she’s been in the news, what, a year? Two years? Ten years? I really don’t know, but it was like discovering The Cars all over again. Only Middleton is a lot more attractive than Ric Ocasek.
Anyway, I really should start reading People Magazine. Or, at least turn the news on every once in a awhile. I don’t mind not knowing Flo Rida’s current hit, but missing out on stuff like this? Unforgivable!
The real question … why in the heck were you watching Tennis? So 1970s. If you want to relate to kids today, you need to be watching crap TV … like … Toddlers and Tiaras.
Was spending the weekend going retro…
Who is Flo Rida?
Was showing off my Google skills…
OK, so you didn’t know The Cars, but you did like “This Is Spinal Tap.”
Funny: I think you were with me on the car ride!
What’s “People Magazine”? Is that published by The Harvard Business Review?
They wish…!
First one I missed was the baggy pants. Made me laugh out loud. She is smokin’.
I’m right there. Have been described as a cultural desert!