NKOTB, part II

I knew New Kids were coming back. I was intrigued by the idea. After all, I loved them as a kid. Who doesn't want to relive memories like that? I figured it would be fun, the radio stations would play a few songs, and they'd play out at Worcester Centrum and it'd be over.

For the most part, that plan is sill true. What I didn't know is how freaking excited I would be. I didn't realize that I would scream out loud and almost run a red light on my way to work, just because I happened to hear Matty in the Morning announce that they were coming to Kiss Concert. I didn't know I would leave work 5 minutes early to go out to my car to listen to their in-studio interview. I never thought I'd be trying to figure out how to get down to NYC on May 16th. I didn't even know that I still had every single song memorized.

Once obsessed, always obsessed I guess.

Truth be told, I am almost too young to be such a New Kids fan. Please Don't Go Girl was released as a single in spring 1988. Spring 1998, I was just about to turn 7. I was in first grade. I was trying desperately to sound out the big words, or else I would be dropped from the smart reading group. I wasn't listening to teeny bopper music. The album, Hanging Tough was release in September 1988. I was 7. I was starting second grade. I had to start to learn actual subjects in school - what did I care about 5 teenage boys (and when I was 7, teenage boys were the worst kind of creature in existence) from Boston were doing? Especially at that age - I was truly too young to fall victim to Joey Mac's positively dreamy blue eyes. But somehow I fell under their spell.

As a little girl with an older brother I was well schooled in Star Wars, World War II, GI Joe, and other boy interests. Yeah, I had my dolls and Barbies that I played with. I didn't scorn all girly things. I played hockey and baseball, but I also figure skated. I was a girl with girl interests. But let's face it. When I wanted to watch Annie and my 10 year old brother wanted to watch Return of the Jedi, who do you think won? When I wanted to color and my brother wanted to play mini-hockey, guess what we did? You get the idea. But the The New Kids were a phenomenon that somehow managed to penetrate they boy-centric early childhood that I had. All the girls in entire school loved them. I remember walking to a store with my older cousins and soaking up every tidbit of information they had the boys. I listened to my Hanging Tough tape on almost a daily basis. I had buttons. I had sheets. I had posters. New Kids 4Eva.

I still know all the songs. I still know Joey's the cute one, Danny's the ugly one, and Donnie's the bad one. Jordan and Jon are just there. I know I never got to a concert as a kid. And I also that if given the opportunity, I will get to a concert as an adult.

Please don't go girl!
It would ruin my whole world
Tell me you'll stay!
Never ever go away...