March 11th…“DID KIDS EVER TEASE YOU? ABOUT WHAT?”
Since time immemorial, children (especially boys) have usually taken any opportunity available to “one up” someone else via teasing or put downs. Sometimes, between very good friends, it’s an acceptable norm to show that they actually like you and are simply using the tease as another form of “play wrestling”, only with words.
Throughout my young years, I was mainly teased about my name. A Grade School buddy of mine borrowed an idea from a television show that was popular in our day.
There was a police action show about a real lawman that lived in the early part of the last century. His name was Elliot Ness. His group of fellow lawmen were known as “The Untouchables”. My classmate incessantly would chide me with, “Hey Elliot Ness, who ya gonna capture and put in jail today, huh?”
At the time of our Grade School days, a television commercial used a song to sell the chocolate flavored drink called, “Nestle’s Quik”. That same little buddy of mine would sing the jingle to me on the playground, but instead of “Nestle’s”, he’d finish the little song by singing, “Elliott makes the very best CHOCOLATE!” 😉 Yep, I know, it didn’t make much sense then and it still doesn’t, but it was cute just the same.
Through the tenure of my 31 years as custodian with the Battle Ground School District (Battle Ground, Washington), I was sweetly teased by the students of Glenwood Heights Elementary School. With each passing decade, there was sure to be an “Elliott” in the cartoon or movie cultures of the time.
The most popular of teasing, regarding my name, was when the little ones at Glenwood Hts. Elementary School would call me “Elliott The Invisible Dragon” to go along with the widely enjoyed cartoon of that time. When “E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial” came into theaters, I then became the little boy “Elliott” in that movie. Can’t even begin to number the times little kids would crook their finger and say, “E.T. phone home!!” The tease of those times were all done in love from the kids to me. I was just tickled to be part of that chapter of their lives and the joys they expressed from what they’d just been entertained by. It was fun to be a part of whatever was making magic in their world in those golden days.
Of course, when it comes to teasing, you can call me anything you want……..as long as you don’t call me…….LATE FOR DINNER!! 😉 So says this silly Norwegian Farmer’s Son.
Norwegian Farmer's Son 