I saw this picture when I was on Google searching for something completely different and I had to stop. It is, of course, a Saint Bernard dog with a roll of toilet paper on his collar instead of the little keg that I recall on these dogs from my childhood. There used to a Saint Bernard with the keg on his collar depicted in cartoons and comic strips on a fairly regular basis, as a send up of the (perhaps early urban) legend of these dogs as saviors of people lost in the mountains. Which was perhaps helped along a bit by whatever purveyor of alcoholic beverage used this dog and his keg as an icon in their European advertising.
Seeing it, reminded me of a great many other “icons” of my youth, Mr. Peanut with his top hat, monocle, and cane – came to mind. Then Chiquita Banana, with her Carmen Miranda moves. Green Giant (Ho, Ho, Ho) and Sprout in the valley. The Vlasic Pickle Stork, delivering pickles to expectant mothers everywhere. I also found myself humming the Oscar Meyer theme song.
It is funny how easily we can take a trip down memory lane, hopscotching from one fun memory to another. Do you remember the wonderfully iconic Coca Cola commercial featuring the lyrics “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony… I’d like to give the world a Coke to keep it company…it’s the real thing….”
If you know the commercial and the song, I’ll bet you sang it in your head as you read it.
It makes me wonder what the triggers for Memory Lane will be for the generation that are children right now. Since I don’t watch commercial TV and haven’t for many years I cannot begin to imagine what will cause their Memory Lane experiences. It will be interesting to read when they start reminiscing. And perhaps a bit alien, as well. But then, none of them got to experience “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is” or “A little dab’ll do ya” or “I wonder where the yellow went, when I brushed my teeth with Pepsodent!”
Ahh….culture. LOL. “Cause if I were an Oscar Meyer Weinerrrrrrr, everyone would be in love with meeeeeeeeee!”
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