28 years ago, my parents bought two tickets to see Huey Lewis and the News perform live in Chicago. With two months to go before “the baby” arrived. Their young couple status would soon upgrade to young parents, and the love nest would get a little cozier with a new plus one. It was a last hurrah of childless bliss.
My Mom worked in an art gallery in Woodfield Mall. She was by far the most qualified (an artist herself and former art teacher), the most personable, and from what I understand the most successful sales rep employed there. Managing the gallery and getting excited for a night out with her husband and good music, she started having Braxton-Hicks contractions and decided to go for a walk. Her walk didn’t help in the slightest. White knuckled, clutching the arm rail, and after touring the entire mall she dropped to her knees and crawled back into the gallery. She composed herself in the back room and went back out onto the floor to help a customer. Standing and talking for a while, the lady finally said, “Ok, your contractions are about 2 minutes apart. You probably should head to the hospital.”
Instead, she headed home.
Getting ready for the concert, she called from the bathroom for my dad to “listen”... astonished that, despite the fact that she didn’t have to go, a stream of fluid was trickling into the toilet. As a safety precaution, they decided to stop by the hospital on the way to the concert. My dad made sure to grab the tickets on the way out the door.
At the hospital, they learned that they would NOT be attending the concert. Instead they would be checking in and at 4am the next morning - two month to the day of the original due date - they welcomed me, their tiny premature baby, into the world.
They never did see Huey Lewis perform.
So this year, when I found out that Huey Lewis and the News was performing not too far from the cottage where my parents were enjoying the Fourth of July, how could I resist? 28 years later, with their first grandchild in utero (2 months and a few weeks before this little one is due to come out), they were finally rocking and rolling to Huey live.
“Why don’t you and Chris come with us?” My mother asked.
I’m not even going to chance it.
Happy Birthday to me… And here’s to you Mom and Dad – it’s hip to be square.
My Mom worked in an art gallery in Woodfield Mall. She was by far the most qualified (an artist herself and former art teacher), the most personable, and from what I understand the most successful sales rep employed there. Managing the gallery and getting excited for a night out with her husband and good music, she started having Braxton-Hicks contractions and decided to go for a walk. Her walk didn’t help in the slightest. White knuckled, clutching the arm rail, and after touring the entire mall she dropped to her knees and crawled back into the gallery. She composed herself in the back room and went back out onto the floor to help a customer. Standing and talking for a while, the lady finally said, “Ok, your contractions are about 2 minutes apart. You probably should head to the hospital.”
Instead, she headed home.
Getting ready for the concert, she called from the bathroom for my dad to “listen”... astonished that, despite the fact that she didn’t have to go, a stream of fluid was trickling into the toilet. As a safety precaution, they decided to stop by the hospital on the way to the concert. My dad made sure to grab the tickets on the way out the door.
At the hospital, they learned that they would NOT be attending the concert. Instead they would be checking in and at 4am the next morning - two month to the day of the original due date - they welcomed me, their tiny premature baby, into the world.
They never did see Huey Lewis perform.
So this year, when I found out that Huey Lewis and the News was performing not too far from the cottage where my parents were enjoying the Fourth of July, how could I resist? 28 years later, with their first grandchild in utero (2 months and a few weeks before this little one is due to come out), they were finally rocking and rolling to Huey live.
“Why don’t you and Chris come with us?” My mother asked.
I’m not even going to chance it.
Happy Birthday to me… And here’s to you Mom and Dad – it’s hip to be square.
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1 comments:
what an awesome gift for your folks!!
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