Monday, May 26, 2008

Happy holidaze


On the left is the ad that got me in trouble when I was 11. I saw it in a comic and because I wanted that miniature monkey (who wouldn't?) I sent away. Two weeks later, twenty five boxes of greeting cards showed up at the post office. My father refused them and sent them back and another week later, I received a registered letter from a lawyer threatening legal action for my "breach of contract." I cried and wouldn't tell my parents, but I finally did and my father got on the phone and said the magic words, "She's eleven."
Damn. I so wanted that monkey.
I also fell prey to the Sea Monkey scam, expecting them to do tricks like the ad showed, but alas, brine shrimp are brine shrimp.
Off to a craft festival (earrings! earrings!) and the home to read Margot Livesey's newest.
See you later, alligators.

4 comments:

Jeff Lyons said...

C:

Monkey smonkey... Hey, but I've got this bridge in Brooklyn...

J

Gina Sorell said...

Who wouldn't want a mini monkey?

Although, come to think of it, after nearly having my hair ripped out by a mad monkey that got loose on a kids show I was shooting...mmm...maybe not.

Caroline said...

Well, I studied primatology in college, and after reading Nim Chimsky (a great book), I know how monkeys, mini or not, make terrible pets! Especially when they hit puberty. They have a bite which can take a fist sized piece out of your face and a nasty temper, too.

But hey, I was a kid...

Clea Simon said...

And that picture is ADORABLE!

A monkey stole my glasses last time I was in Bali. A fruit vendor got them back by bribing the monkey with a banana, and so I (of course) amply rewarded the vendor. Considering it all part of the adventure (not to mentiona way to support the local economy), we all made out well. But for a few minutes there, when I was sort of stunned and blind, it was pretty scary.