Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Parenting School Drop Out

I know what we're doing for Halloween next year.

Ah, the 70’s… so many great movies came out, I hardly know where to start. Over the holiday season, “Grease” aired so, being a musical theatre fan, I set the DVR and waited for the film to record. After it recorded, Anna and I snuggled up on the couch and got busy watching the movie that was a big part of my junior high/high school experience. I don’t really remember all the making out or smoking in the film from when I was a teen, but Anna pointed it out right away. Honestly, we were more concerned with the music and trying to learn all the dances, so that stuff was all extra to us. The making out in the back of the car got fast-forwarded through and the smoking got explained away as “that’s what they did back then.” “Why did they dress that way?” got deferred to “ask Grandma.”
And then came one of my favorite scenes, the slumber party:  boys, alcohol, smoking, ear piercing, and sneaking out of a window. What's not to love? Anna asked if this is what happened at all slumber parties and I said no. She wanted to know why Rizzo was making fun of Sandy, and I couldn’t think of anything so I said “because she’s from Australia.”

Bullet dodged.

But then, the song that I know all too well, and if asked, can probably sing just as good as Frankie, “Beauty School Drop Out”. Frenchie was always my favorite character in the film, as she was goofy and creative, and had a guardian angel. When the song started, I began to sing along, but as I belted out: But no customer would go to you unless she was a hooker! I realized there would have to be some ‘splainin’ to do as I giggled and immediately stopped singing. On cue, Anna asked, “What’s a hooker?” and I offered up my answer to any awkward question asked when Tod is in the room: “I don’t know, ask Daddy.”
Tod, without hesitation responded that it is someone who catches fish. I then chimed in (being the educator that I am), by suggesting we use it in a sentence: “Anna, your grandpa McMillen is someone who is familiar with hookers.” I am certain that this will come up at our next family gathering, I can’t wait.
Grease, it’s the word.




5 comments:

  1. One of the best movies of all time! And who'da thunk that you'd have to "splain all that stuff to a child of six! Sandy was my favorite, and when she showed up in those second skin black leather pants....Oh Wow!
    Recently, my daughter directed a HS production of this show. It was fab!

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  2. I have never seen the movie Grease, but thanks to countless times in showtune bars, I have seen the movie many times, in dozens of bits, none in order.

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  3. I cannot stop laughing at this & my kid wants to know why. I hardly know what to tell her. :-)

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  4. Listening to the radio the other day taking my son to preschool, one of the DJs started talking about a Christmas party that got out of hand, and how he and the receptionist ended up in his office "full on banging". That last phrase caught my son's ear. "Uh, Dancing"

    (remember to pick a different radio station)

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  5. A hippie musician friend of mine was with her two young daughters at her parents for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. Said friend's parents do not always agree with friend's parenting style, but try to keep their cool. Instead of saying grace, grandpa asked if someone would be willing to sing a song. "I know a song!" piped up the six year old, who knows a lot of her mom's original songs. Before my friend could say, "nooooooo!", she launched into a loud and spirited rendition of the "shut your fucking face uncle fucker" song from Southpark. My friend just put her head down on the table.

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