I Feel so USED . . . . .

One of Jean Shepherd’s stories relates his emotional whiplash when, as a child, he waited anxiously, day by day, for the mailman to bring his long-sought-after Little Orphan Annie Secret Decoder Ring.

When it finally arrives, Shep waits with barely-controlled excitement for that evening’s radio broadcast, at the close of which will be delivered the secret, encoded message. This he painstakingly works out with the Decoder Ring, only to be crushed and outraged when it turns out to be “Drink More Ovaltine.” “A lousy advertisement!”

The Bovine Blog, listed to the right, included daily postings of what I thought rather clever entries ostensibly by Millie the Cow. Now I discover that the blog and the web site to which it links is a lousy ad! And for the Maryland Lottery, to boot! Oh shame! The humiliation!

I still think it's pretty clever.

[Yes, I know this story is included in the movie “A Christmas Story.” That movie is a compilation of Shepherd’s stories (few of which actually had anything to do with Christmas), many taken from his book “In God We Trust – All Others Pay Cash.” Some of us, however, heard it from the master himself. I over WOR radio in New York, more or less 45 years ago.]