Poor John gains another convert
Daughter, Libby, and Poor John—walking the walk as they go into the Versailles
Regular visitors to this blog will know that Poor John has a tendency to walk with his hands clasped behind his back.
After years of watching him do this, I have concluded that the condition is both genetic and catching.
There is plenty of photographic evidence already on this blog. His daughters do it, his siblings do it, friends do it, sometimes I even do it. People even send me pics of other, unknown, people doing it.
But we had an especially amusing episode the other day at Waterloo in Belgium.
We were there with Jean-Mi (our very first exchange student), his partner, Sali, and their two-year-old son, Samuel. Ah, two years old, you say. Yes, two-year-olds have some very definite ideas about how the world is supposed to operate around them.
On this day, hands behind the back were a big no-no.
Samuel trotted along behind Poor John—determined to stop him from having his hands behind his back. Stop, stop, he ordered in French, as his small hands tried to prise apart Poor John’s interlocked thumbs. We all smiled, but were careful not to encourage him by laughing out loud.
Samuel has a go at copying Poor John
Yet he persisted until suddenly it dawned on him that this might be worth trying. Maybe Poor John had the right idea. Hmm! I guess I’ll give it a try, he decided.
So he clasped his hands behind his back, and that’s the way things went for the rest of the afternoon.
The pics are here to remind him of that day. I wonder if it will be one of those childhood memories that, in years to come, he’ll vaguely recall some guy who ‘taught’ him to walk with his hands behind his back.
And speaking of kids and their memories, my great nephew Georgie remembers helping me make scones just before Christmas. Thanks Georgie.
Kindred souls sharing their special walk. It’s the end of the day and Samuel has his dummy and is now carrying a truck, a car and a little blanket
Where to next? 
Yes, I too have always thought this trait to be genetic yet also catching and an easily learned skill
Additionally I suspected it kept PJ in deep contemplation about his walk, important work, life, future and how fortunate he is to have three beautiful women in his life.
Four with Aunt Esther.
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Yep, all of the above. 🙂
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Love this post!
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Me too. Thanks.
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How ABSOLUTELY adorable Peggy! Great moment and photo!
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Thanks Joanne. I couldn’t resist posting this.
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Oh how opposites attract. She is is left hand in right hand and he is right hand in left hand. Total opposites. How amazing.
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And how observant you are!
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It’s amazing what the enlarging process can do on a web site.
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I think your eagle eye picked it anyway.
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One more thing to keep my eyes open for! An interesting blog, leggypeggy!
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Thanks. Feel free to keep a count of the number of people you see walking this way.
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Hilarious! Don’t you just love the way kids do that kind of thing. 🙂
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I sure do. They learn so quickly.
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Love it….precious!
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Thanks.
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Lovely post !
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Thanks for stopping by.
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I was wondering too why some people clasp the hands behind their back. If only the 2-year-old would tell us why. He seems to understand.
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Maybe the 2-year-old can tell us why when he’s a little older. A friend of ours says it helps to propel him up hills. 🙂
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Samuel looks adorable with his arms hardly going around his back. You must all have had fun watching him.
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We sure did.
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Hands down . . . a great post!
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And holds folded too. 🙂
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A very sad situation! Will it lead him to a more or less creative life?
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More creative, I hope.
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Hilarious and beautiful!
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We look forward to seeing whether he continues the habit.
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Great Blog! Glad I found it! Light and Love, Shona
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Glad you found it too.
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How gorgeous is that photo. Brought a smile to my face.
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It’s a real smile maker.
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Adorable. Love the clasping. My favorite is the same as Poor John’s: right hand in left. I tell myself it helps good posture, but the truth is it just feels good with a walk.
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Our friend, Norman, says this walk helps to propel him up hills! And when I walk this way, it’s left hand in right.
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Reblogged this on Spiritual challenges and commented:
my recommendation for today
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That’s so nice. Thanks.
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Nice Sharing.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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Welcome.
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Alright I couldn’t stop smiling to myself and having a chuckle at your post. My other half does this sometimes but he’s veered towards hands in the pockets and my son has taken to following him!
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I’m the one more likely to have my hands in my pockets—keeping them warm or searching for my keys!
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Haha – I can identify with the keeping warm part. Anyway, great post. I enjoyed reading it!
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loved to read it and enjoyed the pictures and how children follow their elders
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Yes, children are good at copying so it’s important to show them the right things to do.
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true
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OK, now you’ve got me wiping tears off my face – such a sweet post, a life long friendship of mutual admiration. I will always remember this. And now I know how really wonderful Poor John is.
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This day plays out in my mind as if it was yesterday. A very special memory.
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