(I find myself unexpectedly on the road this week, away from my usual resources. I am using a very old borrowed Acer to post this old entry from 2011. I hope things will be back to normal soon. — JJ)
Baudelaire said that genius is the ability to recapture childhood at will. Now, I’m not going to claim I’m a genius; in fact, I’m going to claim I’m not, but I think I know what ol’ Bodey was getting at. When I was starting out I used a lot of my own childhood memories and experiences to write for Gene. When I drew this, I was remembering the sensation of my mother or a teacher poking in my shirttail and how unnatural it could feel. That’s a pretty small memory! I don’t think I’d draw this cartoon today, simply because so many of those vivid recollections have faded away. They’re not so easily captured anymore.
63 responses to “Loose Ends”
But every once in a while, one of those oldies resurfaces from your subconscious. Sometimes, it’s quite unsettling.
I know what you mean, Bob. They show up in my dreams, and they’re never triumphant or proud ones!
I’m glad that in 2011, you were still able to recall with feeling!
I hate to break it to you Jimmy, but this sorta’ is your normal! And we wouldn’t have it any other way (although I imagine you wouldn’t prefer a bit less distraction).
If you have access to today’s Plugger cartoon I gahr-oon-tee that you will relate. I don’t think I’ve ever referred you guys to another toon but even JJ will like this one.
Just click on today’s cartoon by Gary Brookins. Be sure to click on the blue strip under the toon that says “read more” or you won’t be able to see all of it.
BTW, although Gary now looks twice my age, he and I went to church together when he was a kid. His dad was our choir director for ages.
I stopped trusting my memories of my childhood a long time ago as I began to realize just how often my memory was wrong.
I decided that most of my childhood memories are accidental lies that I have told myself.
All of which leads to this line of mine: Of all the lies I’ve told, I like the ones I’ve told to myself the best.
Rick
If you want to know if your memory is accurate just repeat it in front of your wife
or mother.
There is a famous duet on that subject.
Lyrics
We met at nine, we met at eight, I was on time, no, you were late
Ah, yes, I remember it well
We dined with friends, we dined alone, a tenor sang, a baritone
Ah, yes, I remember it well
That dazzling April moon, there was none that night
And the month was June, that’s right, that’s right
It warms my heart to know that you remember still the way you do
Ah, yes, I remember it well
How often I’ve thought of that Friday, Monday night
When we had our last rendezvous
And somehow I foolishly wondered if you might
By some chance be thinking of it too?
That carriage ride, you walked me home
You lost a glove, aha, it was a comb
Ah, yes, I remember it well
That brilliant sky, we had some rain
Those Russian songs from sunny Spain
Ah, yes, I remember it well
You wore a gown of gold, I was all in blue
Am I getting old? Oh, no, not you
How strong you were, how young and gay
A prince of love in every way
Ah, yes, I remember it well
Songwriters: Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
I Remember It Well lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
I Remember It Well ? Maurice Chevalier & Hermione Gingold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQxM5rJ-uiY
By the beginning of the second line, I’d recognized the song and was picturing the two singers. Not to brag, but it’s hard to get wrong if you’ve ever seen the movie. And, there’s another song in there that’s probably Maurice Chevalier’s most famous. I’ll not name it because I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about.
In the movie Monkey Business, each of the Marx Brothers claims to be Chevalier to get off of an ocean liner they’d stowed away on and pretend to sing one of his songs. The only one that succeeds is Harpo, at least until the gramophone strapped to his back runs down.
I started a Facebook post today by asking question “Has any song or music brought you to tears?”
It ended being like the days of the old Village with all of us contributing music of such wonderful diversity. I ended up listening to music all afternoon. Many were songs I already knew but many artists and songs were new.
When I joined the Village it was listening to music suggested here that broadened my knowledge of so much, especially rock and folk I had missed.
Just in case any of you are on Facebook we talk about “stuff” on my page Jackie Monies. I can’t get Ghost on FB.
Or we could restore the Village and the orphans return.
Sideburns you are assuming all of us here have seen Gigi and Chevalier. There may be some on here under Medicare age?
But I admit to having danced to Glenn Miller Orchestra minus Glenn in 1950s.
Actually, Jackie, that’s not an assumption I’d make most places; on Slashdot, for example, I’d assume that most of the readers had never heard of the movie, let alone seen it, because the culture there doesn’t exactly encourage people to know about anything older than they are. Here, I know that the regulars are at least familiar with our artistic heritage and can understand and enjoy such things. It’s a matter of fitting the comments to the audience.
Old Bear:
You are exactly right about wives and mothers – and, by extension – most females.
A couple of years ago on NPR, I listened to a piece about women’s greater ability to remember conversations from decades ago with incredible precision.
There are some childhood memories that are so indelibly fixed into my mind that I don’t believe I’ll ever forget them. An example is once when I was a child, and we were returning from an out-of-town weekend visit with my father’s brother and his family. I had fallen asleep in the backseat of our car and came half awake to find that we had arrived at home late Sunday night, and Daddy was carrying me into the house in his arms. I have never felt more safe, protected and loved.
That memory returned to me the night that he died. I shall not be at all surprised if it visits me when I’m on my own deathbed.
Hmmm… Posted a link, it didn’t show up, did it again, got message it was a duplicate. So where is it?
This one: https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2018-10-18/lsu-football-uniforms-honor-1918-silent-season-world-war-i
Ghost:
Both of my parents are gone. So is my only sibling. I’m the only one left.
Others might laugh at what I am about to write, but I don’t care.
They are with us now. Usually, we can’t perceive them. But they are here.
Commenting for Ghost, Rick. You are identical. He has lost his only sister, mom and dad. No children for either, just a few older cousins in distant states.
I think he would not laugh at all. I don’t.
Things I remember clearly from early years before age seven and my mother remarrying involve my mother mostly, although raising me seems to have been a joint project of many. Grandparents, unmarried aunts, farm hands, house keepers
We were very poor but I did not realize it for I had a lot of love.
Talk food, Janis. That will get his attention.
Rick: No laughter for your comment. But smiles for the memories of my loved ones.
Sweater? Neckline? Drapes? That would get my attention.
Jackie and Ghost:
Thanks.
Also, I want to mention that I have quite a few memories from age two on.
Both Mom and Dad confirmed that my memories were completely accurate.
I had fantastic, loving parents. They didn’t deserve the son that I became for a while. I was an idiot. Those memories are far too clear.