Lamb Chop

Lamb Chop came out of the closet today. I saw her there behind legos, Elmo, two keyboards that unfortunately still work, a really annoying chicken that dances the really annoying chicken dance, a bunch of books, two flutes without volume control, and several other things the Grandkids enjoy too much for my todays but not enough for my tomorrows. Something said take her out so I did. Kinda sorry she was stuffed there in the first place. Felt kinda disrespectful. Lamb Chop deserves better.

Over fifty years since she first spoke to me with her insufferably cute voice, Lamb Chop still makes me smile. Quirky, fun, smarter than she let on and less innocent than she pretended, the little white cutey was easy to love. The very feel of her reminds me how to smile spontaneously.

As a kid, Lamb Chop was Lamb Chop. Kids see the magic of ventriloquists easier and deeper than adults do. Kids see the life of the character. They see cartoons, puppets, and toys as real. I did. I remember that I did and honor it. Howdy Doody wasn’t just a puppet. Howdy Doody was Howdy Doody. Kids believe what they see because they trust rather than question. Kids don’t care what is behind the curtain. Kids enjoy the show.

Lamb Chop was Lamb Chop but Lamb Chop was more than Lamb Chop too. Lamb Chop had a side kick. Howdy Doody had Buffalo Bob Smith. Lamb Chop had Shari Lewis. Ah, Shari Lewis. I had a crush on Shari Lewis. Shari Lewis….the pretty lady that held Lamb Chop whenever Lamb Chop talked. I felt things about her that I did not understand then and that are even sweeter now.

Shari Lewis was cute and quirky and easy to love. Seeing Lamb Chop reminds me of her. Shari was the energy of innocence. Her innocence was Lamb Chop’s life force and she shared that innocence with me back then and even now….over a decade after she died. Her voice is still felt. I felt it this morning because of a Lamp Chop stuffed animal stashed in a closet.

That stuffed animal is in my office now. I like smiling when I see it. The feel of innocence is a good thing. Shari Lewis was a nice lady. She made a lot of people happy. She looked healthy and happy and lovable from the first time she appeared on Captain Kangaroo (yep…..that was where Shari first showed us Lamb Chop) to when she closed the curtain on her live performances. Having Lamb Chop in my office is right on so many levels. Innocence needs to be honored…not stuffed away in a closet.

As I penned this, my wife walked in and saw Lamb Chop on the desk. She instantly smiled. A warm smile from a place where her kid still lives. She asked about the stuffed animal and then ruffled the stuff animal’s cotton balled head. “Hi, Lamby.”

Enough said.