OUT OF STEP, OUT OF TIME (OR: A FRIVOLOUS PONDERING)...

As someone who's all too aware of the seeming

immutability of memory and association, I'm often sur-

prised when I experience examples that fly in the face of

the principle.  What do I mean?  Well, if I got an item  in,
say, the '60s, I''m usually always reminded of the period

and place in which I lived when I purchased it when-
ever I look at the thing, be it comic or toy.

But, sometimes, there are exceptions.  A case in

point is this set of WADE porcelain figures, which I've

shown on the blog before.  The YOGI BEAR figure was

bought in 1970 or '71 and, naturally enough, I associate

it in memory with where I was then living, which was

the previous house to the one I now reside in.

45 years passed before I decided to track down

and acquire the remaining two HANNA-BARBERA

figures in the set, HUCKLEBERRY HOUND and Mr.

JINKS.  I succeeded in my quest, so you'd think that
I'd therefore associate them with now, rather than

then, but surprisingly, such is not the case.

When I look at Huck and Jinks, I can't help but
'see' them in my old room of my former house, sit-

ting alongside Yogi as if I owned all three pieces back

then.  They fit so well into that period that it's hard to

separate them from it, and link them to the contem-
porary times in which they were purchased.

Another of life's little mysteries which I thought

I'd share with you all here.  After all, why should I be

the only person who has to ponder such perplexities?

Now you can all wrestle with it - and if you feel like

commenting on the matter, be my guest. 

Posted in: Cartoons