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Long Live Judy


This is Judy the Monkey. She was a gift from my mother when I was six, and I have treasured her all these years, as you can see from her excellent condition. She used to have buttons on her chest and a complete banana in her hand, but when I was a little girl, I ripped off the buttons and chewed up the banana--yes, it was made of plastic. Judging by the incision along her back seam, I'm guessing she used to have a squeaker or something inside, but when I was going through my surgeon phase, I apparently chose her as a patient.


There is a line in "Silverado" when Stella the barmaid says to Paden, "There's no telling what you're going to care about." There's no telling what a kid is going to care about. Around the time I got Judy I was a big fan of Daktari, a show about a veterinarian who worked with animals in Africa, along with Clarence the cross-eyed lion and Judy the chimp. No matter what was going on in the show or how impressive it should have been that someone could be friends with a lion, I only cared about Judy the chimp. So, when I first held my new yellow and black chimp, it could only have one name.

When I was in high school, Greasy Amusement Park Boyfriend gave me a new monkey as a replacement, not realizing that a child's favorite treasure cannot be replaced. The guy wrote his name on the bottom of New Judy's shoes, so when I dismissed Greasy Amusement Park Boyfriend, I dismissed New Judy, right into the trash.

I'm guessing that you all have something similar from your childhood that you keep tucked away in a safe place. Own up to it, and post pictures.

Comments

dive said…
Oh, no. Now I'm going to have to go crawling around in the attic to find a small, deformed mouse-thing called Boris.
I remember Daktari. There was a spate of zebra-painted Land Rovers around Norolk at that time.
9:10 AM
Ms Mac said…
I do, but sadly, it's not in my possession. I gave my hard plastic faced Dopey Dwarf (which was handed down from my cousin when I was born) to my brother when he was born. The only thing left about him which is original is his plastic face, my mum had to replace his body in about 1981. I really hope my brother still has Dopey for when he and his lovely partner have their own family.
9:20 AM
Neponset River Bridge Dig said…
All I have is my very first Trumpet which I had refurbished two years ago. I got it when I was 10. The only other item i have is my very first issue of Playboy magazine which I got when I was about 11. I will post ASAP.
That monkey you have looks more like something from planet of the apes to me.. Now, I loved those movies, I use to go to the Rialto theatre in Roslindale to see em i think it cost 25 cents.
9:43 AM
Scout said…
Dive, I will expect to see the mouse-thing soon. And we have to know it's name. Post it in Portuguese, if you want. Or better yet, Japanese, since you're cramming for a test.

Stella, I guess a plastic-head original is better than nothing. It would be interesting if the thing were to make it to other generations.

Rich, You saved a Playboy from when you were 11? Show the trumpet.
9:51 AM
dive said…
A somewhat Freudian request there, Robyn.
Rich: Whatever you do, DON'T "show the trumpet"!
Oh the joy of smutty innuendo …
10:03 AM
Scout said…
I swear on Judy's life there was no innuendo. Really. :)
10:05 AM
Neponset River Bridge Dig said…
Robyn, don't you know that most young boys create an attachement to their first exposure to the beauty of a womans body. That issue has survived many moves in my lifetime and I will not part with it.

Dive, I can show the magazine for you and the trumpet for Robyn.
10:38 AM
Neponset River Bridge Dig said…
Robyn, "greasy amusement park boyfriend'????? that is soooo funny. Did he drive an "el Camino" too?
10:41 AM
Scout said…
Rich, he drove a black Mustang with huge back tires.
11:49 AM
Sassy Sundry said…
Greasy Amusement Park Boyfriend. That's hysterical. Oh, I'm laughing hard. Poor Judy, she's been without her banana for so long (was it good?). My stuffed monkey is named Zucchini.
11:53 AM
Scout said…
Sassy, will we be seeing a picture of Zucchini soon?
1:00 PM
Sassy Sundry said…
I can give it a go. Zucchini is camera shy (and I'm afraid I'm not entirely certain just where he's run off to at the moment).
1:30 PM
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