Recent Musings. . .

This is a story of fear and redemption.  It is about peanuts.  When I was 5 years old Mr. Peanut kidnapped me from the Atlantic City boardwalk as I strolled in the sunlight with my family.  I was wearing a fetching little dress with purple stripes and embroidered violets on the smocking.  He took me into the Woolworth’s photo booth and all I remember is being hugged very tightly and the mesh covering his eyes.  When I was in my 20’s I went back to the boardwalk with a friend and we saw Mr. Peanut, but this time he was a bored kid in hip-hop pants, oversized gloves and a top hat that was dusty with trailing threads.  We had to laugh.  Over the years, he had lost his power, his reputation, and his style. I can once again appreciate the beauty of the peanut, and all the peanut-related practical jokes my friends play on me are just plain funny.  Fortunately, other people do not carry this peanut baggage and are making sublime odes to the peanut, as it frankly deserves.

(The Jesus Peanut!)

(The Unsavory Mr. Peanut)

(Much like the dress I wore on that fateful day…)