Who Are You?

This isn't a post about twin behavior so deviant that our tots are unrecognizable. No, it's about the twins' long-term obsession with The Who. (That's your cue to go ahead and sing this post's title.) Seriously. Pete, John, Roger and Keith. In Darren's and Sarah's eyes, the genuine Fab Four.

When the kids were an impressionable four themselves, we received a DVD with archival performances and interviews galore. "Happy Jack" was requested (and continues to be requested) repeatedly -- as is "Her Man's Been Gone" and The Who's impromptu version of The Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann."

With surprising -- yet predictable -- rapidity, each determined their own "favorite" band member. Sarah has been enchanted with Roger (fringed jacket wearing/long curly locks era only, thank you) since that time. Scanning through the DVD's enclosed lyric and photo booklet she found an image and begged for us to copy it. When we accommodated, she immediately performed her Andy Warhol-esque coloration pseudo-overlay treatment to the black and white copy and over her bed it went. She also designed a very elaborate Valentine (for Roger, natch) that we sent to his management last year. [We never heard back...how I was hoping for at least a publicity photo with a stamped autograph. Of course, if it was a current short-haired image, she'd likely be non-plussed.] He remains in arrested development over her headboard even today.
As the family played an after-dinner game of Crazy Eights the other night (doesn't that just smack of Norman Rockwell?), as Darren placed his caterpillar-adorned discard on the pile, he sang, "Pictures of Wormy..." When I asked if he had learned the vaguely recognizable tune at school, he replied quickly, "No, Mom. It's like 'Pictures of Lilly' by The Who." Indeed, it was.

How crestfallen we were to have to explain to Darren that Keith, his declared favorite, does not live in England like Roger. That in fact, he is no longer alive. Well for us, he is in spirit.

Uncle Craig created this little image (unaware of the twins' fixation) following our full-family karaoke Christmas jam. Maybe Darren can foster a fandom for Pete.

Face it. Our kids are alright.