When my dad visited this fall, he brought with him a small stuffed monkey wearing a cape and a mask. He camped on the sofa and waited for my youngest son to come into the room. Pull and release. The monkey soared across the room, cape fluttering in the breeze, screaming as it reached apogee. It sounded just like the screaming monkeys from the Wizard of Oz.
Back in the days when you were at the complete mercy of the network programming executives for your home entertainment, a showing of the Wizard of Oz was a real treat. Counter cultural even then, my family never ate with the TV on (except on Saturday nights when the Black Hawks were playing), but we would be allowed to do so to watch Oz. My dad saw it in the theater when he was 7 years old and has fond memories of the magical moment when Dorothy reached Oz and the film was suddenly in color. Since we had a black and white TV, I never picked up on that transition (and now that I think of it, I don't think I've ever seen the film in color). My first memory of the film is of the wicked witch and her screaming monkeys. I was terrified of the monkeys, and would flee the room when they swarmed.
These days I have a deep desire for my own corps of screaming monkeys that I can call out when I reach the limits of my patience.
Find your own screaming monkey here. Or see a flight on YouTube.
hmmm... I see great profits in raising and selling screaming monkeys, however.... is it God's desire?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThere is that...I would say likely not. Or at least likely not God's desire that I call out the corps!!! Good thing my specialty is not genomic manipulation or I might be tempted!
ReplyDeleteI did leave a one of the stuffed variety at Wernersville yesterday, which brought great delight to various souls(the long hallways are wonderous for shooting down...). So that may be more God's desire!
I played the Youtube version of the monkey - it made my dogs ears perk up.
ReplyDeleteOk, I need to know... you have never seen the Wizard of Oz in color yet? Oh my... the contrast of the two...
And the monkeys never scared me... however.. the Wicked Witch was another story... I would leave the room when I saw her.
Cathy, I think I need to rent Oz and watch it!
ReplyDeleteI hope to be out that way in April... will be on the look out for God and screaming monkeys.
ReplyDeleteno pecans... another mystery to fathom, or live with.