Imaginary Friends
A common game in childhood was 'O'Grady says'. Whatever 'O'Grady' said we had to do, we took turns in being 'O'Grady'. Same way, as Indians say, we have to do what Perkins wants. Coming from the USA he was homesick and with simeon logic he wanted to go the long way round to make new acquantancies. You see he is fond of the photo opportunity. Accordingly he has been snapped with a Thai waitress, Roselle and Richard Wilson and friends, homeless teddy bears on the steps of the Auckland Vincent De Paul, window shoppers, Michelangelo's David in glass, guests at the Tin Dog and a very large bird. He has also posed naked at Ayre's Rock , Bang Tao Beach in Phuket and in a hot air balloon over Queenstown amongst other places. He is biding his time here in Nuku Hiva.
In NZ he was joined by Irwin, a small brown monkey, and a white poodle with very black nose and larger than average legs whom we met in Daylesford near Melbourne. Brendan the Kerry farmer has been along from day one but spends a lot of time smiling enigmatically and digesting his enormous potato lunchs. Ayre's Rock, Uluru, was far too hot for him and he stayed in the suitcase. Ever had that feeling yourself?
There are two observations that flow from these remarks:
First, in Australia and New Zealand there are inordinate supplies of stuffed animals on sale, many in the windows of the respective equivalents of the Irish Country Woman's association but also many in your common or garden 24hr convenience store. I suppose one might be stuck for a stuffed toy at 3am (sheep?).
Secondly we saw the winner of this year's Turner Prize being interviewed on TV. On the subjrct of religion he said that he had no objection to people having imaginary friends as long as these friends did not tell him how to live his life.
Our friends give no advice, only encouragement (to buy more stuffed toys).
An Incident: In a restaurant on aptly named Ponsonby Street in Auckland an elderly couple saw Perkins having his photo taken. At the end of the meal they came over and said 'We love your monkey. Don't laugh (we did) but we export NZ teddies and dollies all over the world. We travel with 6 suitcases full and have sold to Trim, Co Meath.
The whole world is in danger of becoming imaginary . Someone should give the likes of Bush, Blair and the IRA some nice cuddly toys and a cup of hot choccie. It works wonders.
Why these three I hear you say; samples of our western fundamentalists.
In NZ he was joined by Irwin, a small brown monkey, and a white poodle with very black nose and larger than average legs whom we met in Daylesford near Melbourne. Brendan the Kerry farmer has been along from day one but spends a lot of time smiling enigmatically and digesting his enormous potato lunchs. Ayre's Rock, Uluru, was far too hot for him and he stayed in the suitcase. Ever had that feeling yourself?
There are two observations that flow from these remarks:
First, in Australia and New Zealand there are inordinate supplies of stuffed animals on sale, many in the windows of the respective equivalents of the Irish Country Woman's association but also many in your common or garden 24hr convenience store. I suppose one might be stuck for a stuffed toy at 3am (sheep?).
Secondly we saw the winner of this year's Turner Prize being interviewed on TV. On the subjrct of religion he said that he had no objection to people having imaginary friends as long as these friends did not tell him how to live his life.
Our friends give no advice, only encouragement (to buy more stuffed toys).
An Incident: In a restaurant on aptly named Ponsonby Street in Auckland an elderly couple saw Perkins having his photo taken. At the end of the meal they came over and said 'We love your monkey. Don't laugh (we did) but we export NZ teddies and dollies all over the world. We travel with 6 suitcases full and have sold to Trim, Co Meath.
The whole world is in danger of becoming imaginary . Someone should give the likes of Bush, Blair and the IRA some nice cuddly toys and a cup of hot choccie. It works wonders.
Why these three I hear you say; samples of our western fundamentalists.
posted by Tim Goulding at Wednesday, February 23, 2005
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