I love Sesame Street. It is one of those shows that speaks to its audience whatever age they are. I always wanted to visit Sesame Street because I thought it was a real place. I had figured out that some of the characters were probably just adults play acting, but I was certain the street was real. From everything from letter rock videos, to crazy skits by zany puppets and everything in between – and somehow they snuck in learning. When I was growing up, Sesame Street aired at 12:00 pm until 12:30 pm. The problem was that I had to leave for Afternoon Kindergarten at 12:15 by the digital clock on the TV. (Yes, isn’t that fancy? A digital clock on our TV in the early 80s. As I recall it broke and my Dad wrote one of his famous letters to the manufacturer expressing his disappointment.) I covered the clock on the TV at 12:15 pm which obviously prevented Mom from knowing I hadn’t walked to kindergarten yet.
I remember a Bert and Ernie skit called “Ernie’s Telephone Call”. For some reason it stuck with me and I found myself thinking of it today while I ran.
It involved Bert and Ernie fighting to answer the phone, and Ernie grabbed it. Then Ernie heard a wonderful story by the caller. The caller was Happy about a sunny day playing softball. But then he was Sad because it started to rain. While the caller stood under a tree, he was surprised to find a gorilla. But Afraid once he saw the gorilla’s sharp teeth. When the gorilla ate the caller’s bologna sandwich, the caller got Mad. But when the gorilla gave the caller a ride on his shoulders, the caller felt Proud for taming the gorilla. (Assuming this takes place somewhere in middle America, this seems a strange gorilla premise to me looking back at this. But hey, it stuck with me, and I am sure there are kids still looking for gorillas under trees in the park.)
After we hear the story, Bert then comments on what an excellent story it was! Happy, Sad, Surprised, Afraid, Angry and Proud!
It came through my head because Emile and I went for a run at the summit center. It was just like the telephone call! I was Happy that I ran 1 km without stopping. Complete with arm pumping and cheering. I was then Sad because it was only 1 km. Surprised to find that I had kept up to Emile. Afraid to that my shin splints would put me out of commission. Angry to realize that 3 km was my max today ensure good health on my legs. Proud that I have run and exercised enough that I needed to drop my distance from 5 km to 3 km.
April 7th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: 1 km without stopping, heading up to 1.5 km with Bert and Ernie by myside. Way to go, me!
The punch line of this skit? The caller had the wrong number! Ba ha ha.. . .
The Daily EO 