What do I look like?

Mr. B. grew up in the Sixties. Well, it took a little bit longer than just one decade for him to grow up, but he was a teenager when Elvis, The Beachboys, and the Everly Brothers were all turning out music. You will have to admit that it was pretty good music.

Apparently Sixties music is worth remembering, because Mr. B. remembers it all. He is a walking music encyclopedia, for the Sixties music volume, that is.

Back in those days KVEL radio station gave away movie tickets if you could call in and identify the artist of the song they were playing, or name the number two hit of the week, or tell how many hits the Beatles had on the charts right then. We had to start giving away our movie tickets because we couldn't use them all. (My job was to go to the movies with Mr. B.)

Mr. B. still thinks it is “Name That Tune” time whenever he gets you in the same room or car with a radio or some other music player.

“Hey Bertha, who sings this song?”

“Jay and the Americans.”

“Wrong, guess again.”

Guessing is what it is because my ear isn't good enough to identify the singer by voice and because my memory isn't good enough to remember who recorded it, providing I ever really heard it.

A couple of years ago, the kids decided to give Mr. B. an iPod for Christmas. They agonized over that decision because they were afraid he might not use it very much. Whatever. He could suddenly carry the whole lexicon of 60's music with him wherever he went. He could listen to it whenever he wanted, and again, all of a sudden, he had a reason to become computer literate—to download music.

If we thought he was the king of Sixties pop trivia before, now he could study up everyday all day long. Just another few songs downloaded a day, a few more chances to commit it all to memory.

Hey Sis, who sings this one?”

“The Temptations.”

“Wrong, listen closer.”

“The Supremes.”

“What? Not hardly. Guess again.”

“Dad, do I look like a jukebox?”

“No, thinner—more like an iPod.”

Well, someone got one right answer in this quiz game.

I got an iPod that year as well, and I download audio books. Ask me whether I like Gale or Peeta. Ask me who wrote “Sense and Sensibility.” Ask me who the Herdmans are.

And, no, I don't look like a bookbag.