FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY - A HAT SQUAD REMEMBRANCE

Fifty years ago today, I got quite a scare at Boy Scout Camp.....

We were all gathered in the mess hall for dinner and one of the counselors stood up and announced that he had some very sad news to tell us.

This was the middle of July in 1969.  Cut off as we were from the outside world, we still knew what the big story was that week - the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon was nearing the day of its historic landing on the surface.  It would be another five days before we heard that historic phrase from Neil Armstrong:

“That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

(He was supposed to say "for A man", but flubbed it in the excitement.  I don't think it mattered in the long run but don't tell my high school English teachers that.)

So there we were, isolated at Deer Lake Boy Scout Camp in Killingworth, Ct., and when the counselor told us that he had some very bad news to report, my heart sank.  I thought for sure the Apollo 11 had exploded!

And then he revealed the news:

"Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion has died."

There were a lot of jeers and laughs that he had faked us out, but even so, it was still a sad story to hear.  I used to enjoy watching Clarence in the TV show 'Daktari' starring Marshall Thomson (one of the most wooden actors I've ever seen!)

Clarence died on July 14th, 1969, and the news made the papers the next day.  He was 7½ years old.  Apparently the life expectancy for a lion is 10 - 14 years, more so in captivity.  So Clarence was basically "middle-aged" when he passed away.

I'm writing this up two years in advance as it's a lazy Sunday afternoon in July, my first year of retirement, and I started thinking about the recent anniversary of the moon landing.  And naturally my thoughts turned to the only real memory I have of that time period.  It was one of those moments in Time in which I did not have access to TV - or the appropriate channel, at least - so that I could join in with the communal experience.  (The most recent example as of the time of writing happened just last weekend - I was stuck in the hospital with no access to BBC-America so that I might see the revelation of the new Time Lord for 'Doctor Who'.  Thankfully, one of my favorite Whovians - and closest friends - Mark Thompson, was able to send me the video just moments after the big reveal.)

So here's to you, Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion.  I'm hoping to find a way to honor you in my Toobworld adventures.  There have been several humanoid/leonine alien races in various TV shows; perhaps I will bring one to Earth Prime-Time who is cross-eyed as well.  

How does the name K'Larinz strike you?

BCnU.......