New Kids on The Block.....

...were my favorite band of all time. I had all of their tapes, a few Barbie dolls. (Jordan and Joey ONLY) and I do believe I had a lunchbox complete with thermos. Not to mention the twin sheet set AND every single cassette tape. I remember my 7 year old self jumping around to the music singing my heart out and when the cassette stopped- taking a break to get some water and then flip the tape over. I can only imagine what my mother thought, she probably still can recite the words to the songs. 

When I was home after college, I found the pillowcase from the set. After 17 years, I guess that's the only thing to survive. I showed it to my father. Sometime during my NKTOB phase, I began sleeping over at friends houses. My father always tried to lure me back home saying, "Hurry up and leave, Jordan and the New Kids are coming over for ice cream and YOU aren't invited." I'd always laugh, even though some of the coolest things happened while I was gone: my mother almost lost her pinky, my brother watched an R rated movie before me, my dad's friend brought a monkey over, etc. This ice cream date with the New Kids was my father's fall back no matter my age (I believe it even came up when I announced my move to NYC at 22). In 5th grade I got the first cd (TLC's crazysexycool) and somewhere along the way, all the cassette tapes made it onto my shelf where they collect dust to this day.

Now, every time I go home, my father's made my bed with the NKTOB pillowcase. I like to think its his way of saying he's glad I'm home. And when I run into an old friend who asks when I'll be "coming back to Florida" I think to myself: not soon, I'm planning an ice cream party with the New Kids.