On July 19th, 1989 – the day before my mom gave birth to my youngest sibling, Todd – I put a cloth friendship bracelet around my right ankle. The bracelet was meant to serve as a token of good luck for Todd’s arrival. My mom had complications with this pregnancy and Todd’s birth was a planned event with labor induced before he was full term. I vowed to remain wearing the ankle bracelet until my preemie brother was well out of any health danger.
The birth went smoothly and soon Todd came home from the hospital to join his other 5 siblings. He continued to gain weight and get stronger. Before I knew it, a day turned into a week turned into a month. He was doing well and so I didn’t want to jinx it by removing the bracelet. Time continued to pass…6 months…a year…two years…Todd was growing up and the bracelet remained around my ankle 24/7/365.
Because he continued to be healthy, I continued to wear the bracelet, without thinking much about it.
We are now approaching 24 years and the ankle bracelet lives on. Todd will be getting married a few days before his birthday in July 2013. I plan to attend, ankle bracelet in full effect.
The knot is worn and the bracelet is heavily frayed after 24 years. I blurred out the leg hair. You’re welcome.
The typical reactions to the bracelet craziness:
(1) wow, that is unbelievable,
(1a) wow, that is gross,
(2) where did you get it from,
(2a) what is that thing made of
My typical responses to these reactions:
(1) yeah, I can’t believe it has lasted this long,
(1a) I shower (a lot),
(2) I got the bracelet from a vending machine,
(2a) it’s made out of some nylon-type of material
The bracelet was purchased from a typical coin-operated trinket machine at the now-defunct Omni Sports.
Prior to the birth of my son Tristan in 2011 (also a planned event after my wife’s pregnancy had complications), Todd reciprocated by putting on a cloth ankle bracelet as a good luck charm for Tristan. Tristan spent 10 days in the NICU, but did very well and has been extremely healthy. Not that we can point to Todd’s ankle bracelet as the reason because it has come to my attention that it fell off his leg and was lost not long after it was put on. Todd claims it was his inability to make a decent bracelet (instead of buying a pre-made bracelet, he made his own). Maybe I should remove mine and jinx Todd as retribution.
Nah.