Remembering Comic Books...
When I was a little girl…
Let’s say about 1947-48-ish…
My parents were partners
In the downtown Waco drug store,
Praetorian Drugs.
Their friend & partner,
Sammie’s husband Everett,
Was the pharmacist.
We lived in San Benito
In the Rio Grande Valley
And every month
My mum and I
Rode the train to Waco
So my mum could
”Do the books.”
I thought that meant
Reading all the magazines
In the drug store...
Cuz she did that, too.
There was a general clerk
And even an old soda jerk
Named Andy.
I knew Andy was old
Because my mum and dad
And Sammie and Everett
Talked about his age and
His possible retirement.
I was only 4 years old
And didn’t know
Andy had instructions
To clear the comic book section
Of all except Disney offerings
During our visits
And to give me milk
No matter what I ordered
While I sat on a stool
At the old soda fountain.
My mum’s commitment
To Disney comics
Continued as I got older
Once she even refused
To let me get
Lady and the Tramp
Until I showed her
The Disney logo.
Needless to say
I didn’t continue
My interest in comics
After I outgrew Disney.
Fast forward to
Toronto circa 1985.
Kate was about
The same age
As I had been in the above…
But this is not her story.
That’s just for our
Mutual perspective.
So, 1985-ish
I went to a small
Buddhist meeting
In the home of my friend
And mentor, Mark…
One of our fellow members
Brought a guest
And after the meeting
We chatted.
He was a recent OCA grad
And he was working
As a comic book artist!!!
Mister X meant
Nothing to me,
Of course,
But it was obviously
Something impressive.
He told me a bit
About the art
And introduced me
To the concept
Of what comic books
Had become since my
Disney days in Waco.
He even told me
About the Silver Snail,
Comic book heaven
On Queen Street West.
I visited the Snail…
Spent about three hours
That first time.
I won’t tell you
How much money I spent.
But I was hooked.
That young artist
Is now one of Canada’s
Comic book royalty.
His name is Seth.
Just Seth.
I became a fan.
I’ve bought, read,
And gifted his books.
I’ve greeted him
At Word on the Street
Where he autographed
A book for me.
There’s even
An NFB doc about him.
And
Now Canada Post
Has honoured
Seth plus a few
Of his comic sibs
With their own stamps.
I just had to show you!
...
If you, like me, like to use
My calendar as your desktop,
I've made another version
This month with the right half
Shaded down so I can still
See the folders and files
I keep handy on my own desktop.
Its higher resolution version
Lives with the regular version,
But with the word "shade" added
To the filename.
...
If this isn't nice, what is?
~ Kurt Vonnegut, of course
