An editorial about Captain Kangaroo by a friend of mine ...

[MORTARDUDE]

His father was the pastor of my church at one time...

Larry

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http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/opinion...608719,00.html

The Captain had us in his pocket
Guest columnist Bill Haltom is a Memphis attorney.

January 28, 2004

I was born in 1952 and, consequently, I was raised on TV. As a child I watched Gorgeous George wrestle, Liberace play the piano and Mighty Mouse save the day. I saw Oral Roberts heal the sick, Roy Rogers shoot bad guys and Elvis swivel his hips.

I had lots of TV friends in the 1950s, including Howdy Doody, Winky Dink, Lassie and Timmy.

But my very best TV friend was a kind old gentleman named Captain Kangaroo.

I first saw Captain Kangaroo on my family TV screen in 1955 when I was barely 3 years old. He would appear in my living room in glorious black and white each weekday morning at 8, shortly after my father left for work.

My mom, like June Cleaver and Harriet Nelson, was a homemaker. Her office was our two-bedroom suburban home, and she spent the day looking after me, washing and ironing clothes, cleaning the house and preparing dinner for Dad's triumphant return.

But for an hour each weekday morning Momma happily turned me over to Captain Kangaroo. He was a reliable electronic babysitter right there in the living room. He took care of me while Mom drank coffee and read the newspaper in the kitchen.

The Captain and I always had a great time while Mom sipped coffee. There was never a dull moment. He brought along plenty of friends, including Mr. Greenjeans, Bunny Rabbit, Mr. Moose, Tom Terrific and Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog.

I got a particular kick out of Mr. Moose. He was always playing tricks on the Captain, such as dropping about 10,000 Ping-Pong balls on the Captain's head. At the age of 3 I thought that was really cool.

I'm now 51 and I still think it's really cool. Every now and then, when I get really irritated with someone, I wish I could drop 10,000 Ping-Pong balls on their head.

I often wonder how Mr. Moose did it. It was clearly a complicated task. First, he had to gather 10,000 Ping-Pong balls. Then he had to build a special trap door in the ceiling of the Captain's house without the Captain knowing it. Then he had to install the Ping-Pong balls in the ceiling and rig the trap door so that he could activate it at just the right moment.

I wonder why the Captain kept falling for that trick year after year after year. You would think at some point he would have nailed the trap door shut.

For three years, the Captain and I spent almost every weekday morning together. But then in 1958, when I was 6, Momma walked me down to Frayser Elementary School and enrolled me in first grade.

My days with the Captain were over.

I was excited about being in Mrs. Oswald's first grade class and learning how to read all about Dick and Jane and Sally and Spot. But I missed the Captain and Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit and Mr. Greenjeans.

And whenever Mrs. Oswald irritated me, I secretly imagined dropping about 10,000 Ping-Pong balls on her head.

On Saturday I heard the news that Bob Keeshan, the actor who played Captain Kangaroo, had died at the age of 76.

I thought about that innocent era nearly 50 years ago when each weekday morning my father would head to the office, Momma would take her coffee break and I would spend an hour with the Captain.

And now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish installing this really cool trap door in the ceiling of my office. Anybody know where I can buy 10,000 Ping-Pong balls?

[HARDCORE]

"HE WAS A GOOD AND CARING MAN - ONE WHO WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT KIDS!!" A WONDERFUL REMNANT OF HOW WE USE TO BE!!

VERITAS -