Saturday, April 24, 2010

Mr. Clyde Has Been Playing In My Newspaper

No way:
In 1927, 17-year-old Cyril Rodd helped out family friend Emily Carr.

"He did some yard work and walked her dog and her monkey," recounts Cyril's son Peter.

"He would tie [the animals] together. The dog would run and the monkey would get tired, and it would wrap itself around a lamp post to stop it."

Carr repaid his kindness by giving Rodd a ceramic eagle bowl and totem pole, signed in her native alter ego, Klee Wyck.

She made a special Christmas card for Rodd, whom she called "Twinkie." It featured a watercolour of her monkey, Woo, in a pink dress, and came with a little poem: "That all good things/May come to you/Is the wish/ Of little Woo."

She also gave "Mr. Twinkie Rodd" a cheque for $2.50. But he never cashed it, because he felt she was too poor and couldn't afford to give him the money.
Illustration unsatisfying.

17 comments:

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

So.

The monkey was shocked by the amount of running that was required?
~

mikey said...

It is outrageously irresponsible to allow the DOG to walk the monkey. There is no way that ends well. Considering the cautionary tale of Son of Sam's neighbor's bulldog, I think we can all see where this sort of thing might lead...

ckc (not kc) said...

...imagine if your name was Cyril and someone's preferred alternative was "Twinkie" [shudder] Clearly, the gods are not on your side.

Smut Clyde said...

Why is any of this news?
I demand Artistic Credibility points for recognising Emily Carr.

Smut Clyde said...

And that monkey grew up... to work for mikey as a butler.

M. Bouffant said...

Even the "Funkiest Man Alive" couldn't get away w/ "Walkin' The Monkey."

Dragon-King Wangchuck said...

That Vancouver Sun page was too big for my wii Wii, but I did get to the part about the cottage in Sidney on the coast of Vancouver Island. D00d must've been hurtin' fer cash - it's a good thing them artifacts are worth a few thousand dollars.

J— said...

Don't you know you've got to walk the monkey.

J— said...

Rufus did do "Can Your Monkey Do the Dog."

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

he felt she was too poor and couldn't afford to give him the money.

She was rich enough to own a monkey.

ckc (not kc) said...

...perhaps the monkey was a paying guest

Substance McGravitas said...

Would you pay to live with someone who was kooky for Twinkie Rodd?

Smut Clyde said...

If you are referring to DKW's mum, then you are no gentleman sir.

Dragon-King Wangchuck said...

If you are referring to DKW's mum, then you are no gentleman sir.

Neither's me mum.

Capcha says look at this red rasksh.

Rusty Shackleford said...

You can't "own" a monkey. You can only preserve him or her for future generations.

Smut Clyde said...

The monkey was shocked

Veiled Peter Gabriel reference.

fish said...

Smut Clyde is now referencing "walking her monkey" on Urban Dictionary.