Yogi Bear, Beer and God

I really enjoy Friday’s bar on Friday nights. The gang’s all there full of camaraderie, ready to laugh at the draught of a beer, even at one of my corny retorts. Conversations are free-ranging and often spurred by the NTN trivia we all play.

When Yogi Bear came up as one of the answers it was yet another reminder of why I believe that the 60’s were the peak of civilization. [I’ve written before that music, that technology (relatively—certainly there has been much advance since then, but does anything rival landing a man on the moon!), that social and philosophical advancement peaked in the 60’s, and that we’ve regressed ever since].

Take Yogi for instance, denizen of Jellystone Park. He touted himself as “smarter than the average bear!” No strutting, no exaggeration, no arm-pumping braggadociousness. He didn’t claim to be the meanest, bestest bear of all, simply smarter than average. And he probably was considering his wheedling a contract out of Hanna-Barbera the way he did.

Yogi of course was patterned after the loveable Yogi “nobody goes to that restaurant anymore, it’s too crowded” Berra an American original if there ever was one. But he wasn’t the only good guy from 60’s cartoons. The decade that crushed our generation’s hope and optimism with the real-life assassination of JFK anesthetized us with the fictional fantasy of such great animation as Beany and Cecil and Rocky and Bullwinkle—still the best kid-to-adult show of any kind.

There were more humble heroics from the likes of Underdog, Atom Ant and Johnny “hey hajji” Quest. There were the not so humble, but oh so clever Bugs Bunny, Road Runner and Pink Panther. And Al—VINN!, Cool McCool, Quick Draw McDraw, Top Cat, George of the Jungle and my favorite, Go Go Gophers:

“Here comes the colonel with his sargeant,
Both are a-roarin' and a-chargin'.
Go go gophers, watch them go go go. Go go gophers, watch them
GO GO GO!”

Yeah, we were nothing but goofy smiles as I took a big gulp from the FREEZING and bubbly effervescence of the new Mich Ultra AMBER, lovingly poured by Friday’s great barkeeps. Reminded me of my first trip to Amsterdam back in ’79 when my buds and I did the Heineken tour. Afterwards they poured us their fine brew and proudly asked our opinion. I looked at the Dutch brew master and said, “well sir, it’s okay but it just doesn’t have that Budweiser bite.”

It was then that Delores (not her real name) told me that her husband, my good friend Roger (not his real name) might finally have a terrific job opportunity. They weren’t talking about it until it was more solid, but she was praying fervently about it. Delores told me why she had such faith in God.

Years ago her son left home and fell out of contact for nearly a year. Her mother, his grandmother, had had enough and in a screaming plea to God as she was driving implored Him to make her grandson call OR ELSE…she would not believe anymore. It was kinda like Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, yelling at God from the top of the shrimpin’ boat’s mast through that wicked storm.

Well, Delores told me, the minute her mother got home the phone rang and lo and behold it was her grandson!! Ever since her mother told her, “you simply MUST have faith because God is real” and Delores certainly has kept that faith, no matter what difficulties she has faced, and they’ve been many.

There were many more chuckles and warm fuzzies before the night was done. And outside of Yogi’s intelligence, there was nothing average about it!

Rfd 3/4/06