For Want of a Nail
- Blade Robinson
- Aug 25
- 3 min read
Life's little decisions can have enormous ripple effects. In today's podcast episode, Blade shares a deeply personal story about his teenage years that perfectly illustrates the concept behind Todd Rundgren's song "For Want of a Nail." As a bored 15-year-old living in El Salvador, Blade participated in the 1970s streaking trend – running naked through public spaces for a laugh. What seemed like harmless teenage mischief had serious consequences: his father, a Major in the U.S. Air Force, nearly lost his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and the family became social pariahs within the military community. This youthful indiscretion demonstrates how one impulsive decision can echo for decades.
