Secret Baby Handshake
I am, among other things, what you might call a 'biker.’
I am a member of a motorcycle club – we drink, we ride, we carouse. Not necessarily in that order.
We are not a 1%’er club, but we are a brotherhood and we are committed to the cause, so to speak.
P.Pie and I have spoken at length about the motorcycle and it is our consensus that I have been riding a long time (longer than I’ve been driving), I’m cautious, I’m careful, and I will continue to ride.
In the biking community, there is a natural camaraderie; a shared interest in a sport that not everyone can do. While it’s not rocket science, it is a skill that not everyone has/wants. This kindredship is expressed in a friendly wave, or a nod of the head as two ‘bikers’ or ‘riders’ pass each other.
If you ride, you know what I am talking about. If you don’t ride, the next time you’re out, watch for two motorcycle riders passing each other. While the nod/wave doesn’t happen every time, it happens more times than not (many things get in the way – turning/signaling/traffic/etc).
Smokers share the same type of solidarity. One smoker will have no problem approaching another smoker, asking if they can ‘borrow’ a cigarette.
For better than half of my life I was a member in good standing of this association.
While I disassociated myself more than three years ago from the group, I am still approached by the wayward individual looking to take communion with me. In fact, you may have been approached by a smoker, asking if are part of the ’community’.
It is a group that is hard to get away from. And the dues are quite pricey, and continue to go up.
There are other groups that are more or less known; some you might even call secret societies.
Groups with names like Freemasons. Odd Fellows. Shriners. Moose. Elks. Illuminati. CIA. FBI. Phi Beta Kappa.
Girl Scouts.
Yes, even the Girl Scouts of America can be considered a secret society.
According to Merriam-Webster, a secret society is defined as "any of various oath-bound societies often devoted to brotherhood, moral discipline, and mutual assistance."
So by that definition - substituting 'sisterhood' for 'brotherhood,' of course - the Girl Scouts are an oath-taking, due-paying secret society operating directly under the nose of Americans everywhere. Not only successfully operating (have you ever heard of a den of Girls Scouts closing down?), but operating with the help and guidance of our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and wives.
But that is neither here nor there, and truly off the point (one might even think I liked to spout off about nothing at all).
Anyhoo, back to my point; if motorcycle riders, smokers and girls between the ages of 7-14 can have a wave, a communion, and a cookie, respectively, shouldn’t soon-to-be-parents have something?
Maybe a specific waddle or even a shake of the belly could serve as a wink and a nod to people in the know.
...hang on...
It suddenly occurs to me that perhaps there is such a knowing nod, but I haven’t had anyone to introduce me to said nods.
Jesus, pregnancy is tough.
I am a member of a motorcycle club – we drink, we ride, we carouse. Not necessarily in that order.
We are not a 1%’er club, but we are a brotherhood and we are committed to the cause, so to speak.
P.Pie and I have spoken at length about the motorcycle and it is our consensus that I have been riding a long time (longer than I’ve been driving), I’m cautious, I’m careful, and I will continue to ride.
In the biking community, there is a natural camaraderie; a shared interest in a sport that not everyone can do. While it’s not rocket science, it is a skill that not everyone has/wants. This kindredship is expressed in a friendly wave, or a nod of the head as two ‘bikers’ or ‘riders’ pass each other.
If you ride, you know what I am talking about. If you don’t ride, the next time you’re out, watch for two motorcycle riders passing each other. While the nod/wave doesn’t happen every time, it happens more times than not (many things get in the way – turning/signaling/traffic/etc).
Smokers share the same type of solidarity. One smoker will have no problem approaching another smoker, asking if they can ‘borrow’ a cigarette.
For better than half of my life I was a member in good standing of this association.
While I disassociated myself more than three years ago from the group, I am still approached by the wayward individual looking to take communion with me. In fact, you may have been approached by a smoker, asking if are part of the ’community’.
It is a group that is hard to get away from. And the dues are quite pricey, and continue to go up.
There are other groups that are more or less known; some you might even call secret societies.
Groups with names like Freemasons. Odd Fellows. Shriners. Moose. Elks. Illuminati. CIA. FBI. Phi Beta Kappa.
Girl Scouts.
Yes, even the Girl Scouts of America can be considered a secret society.
According to Merriam-Webster, a secret society is defined as "any of various oath-bound societies often devoted to brotherhood, moral discipline, and mutual assistance."
So by that definition - substituting 'sisterhood' for 'brotherhood,' of course - the Girl Scouts are an oath-taking, due-paying secret society operating directly under the nose of Americans everywhere. Not only successfully operating (have you ever heard of a den of Girls Scouts closing down?), but operating with the help and guidance of our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and wives.
But that is neither here nor there, and truly off the point (one might even think I liked to spout off about nothing at all).
Anyhoo, back to my point; if motorcycle riders, smokers and girls between the ages of 7-14 can have a wave, a communion, and a cookie, respectively, shouldn’t soon-to-be-parents have something?
Maybe a specific waddle or even a shake of the belly could serve as a wink and a nod to people in the know.
...hang on...
It suddenly occurs to me that perhaps there is such a knowing nod, but I haven’t had anyone to introduce me to said nods.
Jesus, pregnancy is tough.
posted by Rob Barron at 11:31 PM
5 Comments:
I have twins! I also have two other kids. Ask me anything you need to know about having twins. Good luck. And, the answer is...you will sleep again, but your wife, probably not so much. That may sound sexist, but in almost all the parents of twins I have ever met, the moms are the ones who are awake even when the babies are sleeping. Moms tend to worry about everything, while dads can let it go. My youngest is now almost 3, and I sleep just fine on the days he isn't sleepwalking. Good luck!
I will say that I do agree with 'moms worry more' statement.
That being said, I do plan on losing as much sleep as my wife. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for stopping by the blog! Don't be a stranger, ranger :-)
Secret nod? Secret handshake? nope. We just know each other by the dark circles under our eyes and seeing each other at the coffee machine a lot.
Really? None? Well, we should have. Maybe we could call ourselves the brotherhood of sleepless night.
Hey, I may be on to something...
I will not follow the group here...
I'm a dad of 6 girls and I have always been the one to fall asleep by their bedside, wake up at the mere sound of restless sleep, tend to their nightmare wakes and all the "after hour" occurrences. My wife will sleep through a hurricane as long as the sheets don't get wet.
Part of that is the fact that I love and care for my girls like they are the only thing I life for, but the other part is that at night, my senses are heightened. I am awakened by the sound of the furnace turning on in my basement, only when it sounds different than every other time (it was time to change the ignitor).
As for the baby handshake... there is one... but it is so secret that by knowing it, you risk being sucked back to childhood.... Oh how wonderful would that be.
PS. I ride too brother. Here's two down for you.
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