Kids wearing dumb hats

Skeeters ripe for swatting.

There's a story today about Annette Funicello surviving a fire. Have no fear, Annette is fine. But reading her name today brought back a memory.

When I was about six, the kids at school were talking one day in the schoolyard about the Mickey Mouse Show. They were insanely excited about it. At that age, I somehow misunderstood and thought they were talking about Mighty Mouse. I was thrilled! I'd heard about that stalwart mouse and wanted to see him on TV. So they told me when the show would be on, and I watched it.

Lordy, was I bored! It was the stupidest thing I had ever seen. I think even at six years old I saw it exactly the way we'd see it today -- as naive and boring. I remember being angry at the kids at school for being stupid enough to like this thing. And where was that fabulous Mighty Mouse guy?!

This was the first time I remember myself looking down at people, an activity that would give me tremendous pleasure later in life.