Back in the 70s, Tower of Power cut a song called What Is Hip? and it so was.  Some fifty years later, I ask myself that same question.  What is hip?  

Down in these here parts, all three nights leading into Saint Patrick’s Day qualify as party friendly.  So I was trying to walk my dog to make wee wee on a tree but NO … the drunken leprechauns bedlam to came to play on the same corner at the same time my dog was circling in for a wide open second position … aka her pee position.  Somebody yelled something (person) and she (dog) choked.  

So here’s what’s not hip.  The word SKANK.  That was what the girl yelled. I turned around to see a rather rotund thing in green and white checkered spandex tights.  She’s the one who employed the word.  I felt the need to tell her she also defined it.  

For all intents and purposes, which I used to pronounce as for all intensive purposes Saint Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve are NOT HIP at some point in a person’s shrinking arc of life.  It ain’t in mine now but I pray for the patience to not pass judgment on the twenty somethings who reserve the right to use the word SKANK.  

I kinda wanted to approach the SKANK and introduce her to a hipper phrase … HOSE BAG.

I think SKANK became HOSE BAG in my 30s but don’t hold me to that.  I was distracted.  

And to clear things up I was never one to say SKANK or HOSE BAG at any age.  

Yet other people did.  Hey they thought it was hip.  Ya gotta let ’em think it.