Underlying image from White Mountain Puzzles
|
|
Every Saturday morning when we post one of our animations it reminds me of growing up in New York and watching cartoons on Saturday mornings. |
|
|
Careful, you are showing your age. That was back when there were only a handful of television channels and they had specific lineups, including Saturday mornings full of children's programming. It was long before there was the Cartoon Network. And, well before you could stream cartoons or watch them on smart phones. |
|
|
I don't want the history of cartoons; I want to reminisce about the simpler times. I remember sitting in front of our black and white TV in the playroom with a bowl full of cereal watching my favorite cartoons. |
|
|
I remember Mom had all the cereal on the bottom shelf of a kitchen cabinet so that we could make our own breakfast. |
|
|
Yes, and I tried so
hard not to spill any milk but invariably did.
|
|
|
Well, that may explain why I have always eaten my cereal dry. And, often straight out of the box. |
|
|
Gee, you were
efficient even as a kid? Although, I
have a hard time imagining you sugar loading on cereal and watching cartoons. Anyway, I can't remember us ever watching
cartoons together.
|
|
|
You are five years younger than me which, at that age, was a huge difference. Plus, we probably did not like the same shows. What did you watch? |
|
|
That's easy! The Flintstones , Magilla Gorilla , and Mister Magoo . |
|
|
The Flintstones was one of my favorites. That and The Jetsons . Did you know that The Flintstones started out as an animated show for adults? And, was the first animated show to air on primetime? |
|
|
You really are determined to give me the history of cartoons, aren't you? |
|
|
You brought up The Flintstones , not me. Anyway, the show's creators, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, had created Tom and Jerry , and were certain there was a market for adult animation given the success of relationship-based sitcoms. Shows like I Love Lucy , The Honeymooners , The Donna Reed Show . |
|
|
Isn't that the same logic you used when you thought you could turn my crisis into a relationship-based sitcom? |
|
|
Yes. Especially when I realized there was an entire cast of supporting characters. But, we never would have hired an animation firm if Hasbro had not suggested it when we met with them. |
|
|
True. Regardless, I love that we post our animations on Saturday mornings. It's like going full circle! |
|
|
That is fine … as long as cereal is optional. |
Photo by
Andre Alexander
on
Unsplash
It’s hot and humid, and Red and her daughter are thinking about the lonely turtle crossing the road (no, this isn’t the start of a joke – see story below) seeking water and shelter from the sun. It’s something we can all relate to as millions are dealing with brutal heat waves .
|
|
I'm still smiling at you letting Sawyer drive your Mercedes G-wagen . Although I know that her dream car's a Ford F-150 , I think yours is her "fantasy car". |
|
|
I knew the "long way" to drive back to your house, but after asking her if she knew the best way, it seemed easier to have her drive. |
|
|
Well, you might have thought of it as efficient, but she thought it was exciting. And she told me that she was honored you trusted her to drive. |
|
|
Did she mention that once we got back to your neighborhood, we saw a huge turtle on the road? Moving very slowly, of course, so I was not concerned it would become an unexpected road obstacle . |
|
|
Of all the things she might encounter in our neighborhood – cyclists, Amazon delivery trucks, dog walkers – to find a turtle in the street was probably the last thing she was expecting. |
|
|
Or, me. I know we laugh about me needing Benadryl to visit you in the suburbs, but it is due to all the pets and children – not wildlife. |
|
|
That turtle made me think of Daddy. I'm not sure you were still living at home at the time, but do you remember when he "saved" the turtle on the road ? |
|
|
I have no idea what you are talking about. |
|
|
Daddy was driving on Wantagh Avenue, near Kwong Ming (our favorite Chinese restaurant growing up in Massapequa ), when, all of a sudden, he pulled off the road and hopped out of the car. |
|
|
If I remember correctly, that road did not get much traffic. |
|
|
True, but there were still cars on the road, and it was still a very unusual thing for him to do. I was probably around ten or so and sitting in the back seat, so was a little surprised when the car stopped, and he quickly got out. But when he said, "I'll be right back," I could tell by his voice that everything was ok. |
|
|
Considering that Daddy was very mild-mannered and not the sort of person to panic or to overreact, I am not sure the tone of his voice would have been a good indicator. |
|
|
Regardless, I wasn't the most observant of kids, so unless the car were on fire, I probably wouldn't have thought much of any of it. So, while he walked across the road, I didn't think twice about getting out of the car to watch what he was doing. Not because I was worried, but out of curiosity. |
|
|
It is hard to imagine that same scenario today, for an assortment of reasons. Unless, of course, it was staged for YouTube or Instagram. |
|
|
I know, but it was a different time. Decades ago. |
|
|
I can picture Daddy waving the cars to slow down while scooping up the turtle and depositing it well away from the side of the road. |
|
|
Close. He disappeared on the other side of the road for a few minutes, and when he returned to the car, he told me that there was a stream, so he had carried the turtle down the bank and placed it by the water. It was a hot summer day, and he figured that the poor turtle had somehow wandered far from home and was now trying to find water. Not to mention grass and shade. |
|
|
That sounds like Daddy. Well, the conditions were similar when Sawyer and I saw the turtle in your neighborhood, but I have no idea where the local stream is located. |
|
|
I wish I had been around, as I'd have paid homage to Daddy by scooping up the turtle and at least try to find it a safe place. And based on what Sawyer told me, if she sees him (or her) again, that's exactly what she plans to do. |
|
|
Like father, like daughter … like granddaughter. |