The author (not pictured) asked his mom for a drumset when he was 14.
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- John Hardin is a 59-year-old living in Florida who started playing drums when he was 14.
- His mother didn't mind because drumming kept John out of trouble through high school.
- He is pleased his sons have also pursued their passions instead of getting in trouble.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Hardin. It has been edited for length and clarity.