In today’s edition of Storytelling Sunday, (which is, yes, posted on a
Monday, but let’s just pretend I’m on time for once), I’m going to share with
you the dangers of a popular dance and song.
It is sung to children, by children and for the entertainment of
children. It is played and danced to as
adults become children once again (usually imbibing alcohol as they go
along).
I am here to tell you I want it stopped! I want it stopped now! It’s too dangerous. It causes pain, suffering and life-long disfigurements. What is this song/dance, you ask?
The Hokey Pokey.
*shiver*
The name itself just brings goose bumps to your skin. It sounds ominous
and creepy. It brings forth images of
people tossing about their appendages, shaking and spinning as if possessed by
a dark and wrathful spirit. Are you
familiar with the song?
Here are the lyrics, in case you need your memory jogged (or visit YouTube for plenty of terrifying videos on this dangerous pastime):
You put your left foot in…You put your left foot out…You put your left foot in…And you shake it all about.You do the hokey pokey,And you turn yourself around.That’s what it’s all about!
Then, before you can escape, it repeats itself forcing you to put your other foot in and out,
shaking it and spinning, then your right and left hands, respectively. Again in.
Then out. Then shaking and spinning. It’s just terrifying.
Here’s the worst part of the song.
The “turn yourself around”. Therein
lies the biggest danger.
Picture this… a young girl, innocently joining in on what she believes to be a fun and free-spirited game of Hokey Pokey with her sisters. Little did she know that she was about to embark upon one of the most traumatic events in her young life.Cue the music.The game begins.Her sisters, unknowing of the dangers, guide her along, urging her to put her foot in, out, in and shake it. Then spin… “turn yourself around”. Then that awful repeat. Again, faster. The little girl giggles and tries to keep up, spinning during the “turn yourself around” phase just a little too fast…… a little off balance…*Crash**Splash!*A brief moment of silence as panic fills the room…
The little girl doesn’t remember this day. The events are wiped from her memory due to
the trauma that occurred. The song,
however, is forever embedded in her brain, right beneath a one-inch scar across
the left side of her forehead, which she carries with her to this day. A scar that her mother would occasionally
remark upon, “you had X number of stitches, but the doctor promised me it
wouldn’t scar! And there it is…”
When trying to remember what happened, her mother told her this piece
of the story…
“… and then one of your sisters ran back to me yelling, ‘Mom! Mom! Kai fell through the fish tank and there’s blood all over the living room carpet!’…”
I once asked her what my other sisters were doing while I was laying
there bleeding (and I assume crying my head off). She told me,
“…they were picking up the fish and putting them in water to try and save them.”
*sigh* Sisters!
So please, please, please…for the sake of innocent fish and fun-loving
little girls everywhere. Ban the hokey
pokey from your life.
For the love of children everywhere... ban it now!
For more fun stories, visit High in the Sky's Storytelling Sunday's list for this month.
Oh dear poor little Kai, but I must admit it made me giggle the way you told the story
ReplyDeleteWow, I really hadn't seen the dire end to that story coming! I'm laughing (sympathetically) because you tell a terrific story! Yes, I do know the song, although round here it's known as the "Hokey-Cokey" for some reason.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining us this month Kai, it's so good to see you at Storytelling Sunday
Yes, its true, we all have experienced such things in life! Your story, though told humorously, throws light on the nature of human beings! “…they were picking up the fish and putting them in water to try and save them.” :)
ReplyDeleteI know that it was a very traumatic experience for you but you told it so well I couldn't stop laughing. It didn't end the way I was expecting. I promise to never sing the Hokey Pokey again (after I can remove it from my head as you know have me singing it!). I am so glad you survived to tell the tale. :-)
ReplyDeleteI remember the hokey pokey all too well, although I never had as traumatic an experience with it as you. In high school, we would all blow off the stress of the school week by going to the roller skating rink on Friday night. Ever tried the hokey pokey on roller skates??? For someone who only ever mastered skating forward... let's just say it was a challenge!
ReplyDeleteWho'd have thought a childhood game like this would cause such a big problem! I'm glad you were ok.
ReplyDeleteWhoah....I'm stunned...I never saw that coming!!! I HATE the hokey pokey...but because it makes me think of a Barney song...all cheese and no substance. We prefer Shakable You by the Imagination Movers. you can see it here: http://youtu.be/mL8s0bw2kuM Its slower. And less mind numbing. and I would venture to say less dangerous now that I've read your story.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! We had fishtanks for most of my kids' lives and them falling onto them was a continual worry - so glad you were o.k.
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh at the fish taking priority for your sisters - but they knew your Mum had things under control I guess. Thanks for making me smile this evening - I'll watch out next time I'm shaking it all about!
ReplyDelete