That Mean Little Man

When I was a kid and we would get sick, my mom would ask us where it hurt. She would ask us if that mean little man was doing a tap dance in our belly or bouncing a ball in our head or running around all over our bodies just making everything hurt. Then she would do something to make that "mean little man" pay for what he was doing to us.

Sometimes she would tickle us to make us feel better, sometimes she would make us a little soup and crackers and get us some 7-up and if we were lucky she would give us some baby aspirin! (Does anybody else remember sneaking and climbing up the cabinets to get some baby aspirin We are lucky we didn't overdose or something. We loved the stuff!) Anyway all we had to do was go to our mom and tell her that that "mean little man" was doing something and she would make it better.

Staying home from school was always good. We were allowed to sleep in her bed and watch tv all day long. I remember watching Dinah Shore and the Mike Douglas Show. I remember when Chuck Woolery did Wheel of Fortune and when the Price is Right started. When I got a little older I loved to watch the Phil Donahue Show. Does anybody else remember when David Letterman was on in the morning?

Early morning was the time for Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Greenjeans. Sesame Street started when I was in the 3rd. grade and the Electric Company started soon after. One of my great disappointments was that the teacher on romper room never did see me in that mirror! Also I dreamed of getting romper stompers one day but I never did.