Pre-Ramble: So, I was standing in line at Target, and the person in front of me (a Gen-Xer) was buying some kind of cartoon-covered fleece blanket thing. I wasn’t really studying the items in this person’s cart; I was mostly minding my own business waiting in line, but I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation.

So, the cashier (also a Gen-Xer) made an offhand comment to the blanket person about the cartoon – something like, “What is that cartoon?” … and the person said, “I don’t know – I think it is something from before … something about a moose and a squirrel.“ 

Before?!? … 

Something about a moose and a squirrel ?!? …

Ok – I am more than willing to let that “Before” part go, but, … I’m sorry, … these are artifacts from my childhood we’re talking about here!  Never mind that the actual animations were pedantic and drab, and that the plot lines were beyond stupid … No one is going to disparage MY Rocky and Bullwinkle with this kind of blaze’, dismissive tone!

Wait a minute … You remember “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show,” don’t you? … Circa 1960-something? … Rocket “Rocky” J. Squirrel and his dopey side-kick Bullwinkle? … The Moose? … Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale??  Fractured Fairy Tales? Dudley Do-Right? Somebody was always getting hit on the head by the gnarly little fairy-in-drag who randomly lowered into the frame on a rope … ?  Boris and Natasha were always getting in and out of a low-slung black town-car, or running aimlessly toward or away from some horrific threat … ?  Gosh, I miss the Cold War.  Conflict was so simple back then; things were either black or white ( … or red).

Actually, it was all really stupid. Back then, before our parents knew what a corrosive force the miracle of television was on our suggestible young minds, we would sit for hours, watching whatever came onto the screen.  Back then, I’m pretty sure I just tolerated Rocky and Bullwinkle as a means to an end … It was on just before some other show that I really liked.  Now, in the peachfuzzy distance of hindsight, the program seems so much more endearing and amusing. 

The Take-Away:  What can I say? Memories are memories, and the older you get, presumably, the more you’ll have.  I haven’t thought about Rocky and Bullwinkle in 20 years a bunch of years.  Funny how a simple reference can spur so much recollection.  Maybe it’s one of those things that improves over time (like us!) … 

Nope.  The reason why the Baby Boom generation is such a categorically dysfunctional bunch is clear.