[« From the "junk mail" folder....] [Blogrolling...... »]
11/30/2004: Interesting lunchtime oddities....
I work somewhere (I'm not going to further identify the where, inasmuch as they probably want to deny any association with me) where there's a "book fair" every few months or so. Basically some outfit that deals in remaindered books, CD's and other interesting merchandise comes by, co-opts some floor space, and hawks their wares. Every so often (not today, alas), they have a good deal on a book that I can use (A "guys cookbook" titled A Man... A Can... A Plan! for instance--I still get quite a bit of use out of that one) or a book or other piece of merchandise that I want, so I always stop by during my lunch hour when they're in the neighborhood, and glance at what they're selling.
Today I did a double take. Can you imagine that there's actually a childrens' book (nay, two childrens' books, and one yet to be released... a veritable series of childrens' books) about "Walter the Farting Dog"? Not to mention a translation of the first book of the series into Latin (Walter Canis Inflatus, though if my high school Latin has stuck with me the title loses a bit in the translation)--obviously the market for Latin translations of childrens' books has lost a bit of its, uh, zing since the publication of Winnie Ille Pu, which is still my favorite Latin translation of a children's classic. And let's not forget (though Gawd knows I'm gonna try) the statutory "Walter the Farting Dog" doll--I don't even want to know if does what I think it does when you squeeze it.....
Don't believe me? Then go to the amazon.com website, and enter "the Farting Dog" in the textbox for their product search engine, and see what comes up. But don't say I didn't warn you.....
Len on 11.30.04 @ 03:36 PM CST
Replies: 2 comments
on Tuesday, November 30th, 2004 at 5:58 PM CST, josh said
You obviously have no children or mature friends.
Within days of birth my daughter had a copy of this, and disapointed people who wanted to give it to her.
on Tuesday, November 30th, 2004 at 6:52 PM CST, Len Cleavelin said
I like to think that what friends I do have (granted, I don't have a lot of them) are mature, but no, I have no children. And I'm generally pretty glad I don't. Especially when I realize that there are books and playtoys produced around the concept of a farting dog. :-)