Saturday, February 17, 2007

Siss, Boom, Baa

Today's post took me on a strange stream of consciousness...

Johnny Carson, decades-long host of The Tonight Show (yes, there was someone before Jay Leno), used to have a skit titled Carnack the Magnificent. The character featured a bejeweled bright turban and his special abilities allowed him to give the answer to a question that had been 'hermetically' sealed in an envelope. He gives the answer then his sidekick Ed McMahon opens then envelope and reads the question...which makes the previously given answer the punchline of the joke.

My favorite:

Carnack the Magnificent: "Siss, Boom, Baa"

Sound of envelope being torn open.

Ed McMahon: "What is the sound made by an exploding sheep?"


Okay, I know, that was a long way to go for this post. Mom had picked up a framed picture of her with her classmates at a high school reunion about 10 years ago. When she went to put it back, which was to set it on a shelf and lean it back against the wall, it fell behind the gap behind the shelf and crashed to the shelf below. No big deal, but she covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.

I told her it was no big deal and hopped up and fixed it right away. The tears disappeared as quickly as they came. She became immediately distracted by something she saw on TV. Kinda like a child that wants something. They cry. They get it. They stop crying.

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