The Amazing Pudding

The Image

The Truth

I thought about calling this post “The Abobination”.

I had a doctor appointment today. I couldn’t get a sitter, so I took Red with me. Riding the bus on the way home, Red caught a young fellow’s attention. He stopped watching (very loud) videos on his cell phone and talked to me and Red a bit. He then did what he surely thought was helpful. I did not agree.

I suddenly heard what I initially thought was a “Yankee Doodle” ring tone. I shortly realized, though, that what I heard was in fact the theme song for “Barney the Dinosaur”. The “helpful” fellow then turned the screen of his phone around to show the show’s opening sequence. He asked with a smile, “Do you like Barney?” I assumed he was talking to me, since Red is not even six months old. I said, “No! I hate Barney!” He promptly stopped the video, seeming a bit taken aback.

I’m glad I didn’t have to kill him. I’d have likely ruined a useable umbrella stroller in the process, to say nothing of how I’d scare Red and the poor blood-spattered riders seated near us.

I won’t go into the details of why Barney is evil. That topic has been beaten to death by better writers. Suffice to say that if you think that showing the tales of Satan’s dim-witted love child with Grimace is help, do me and Red a favor and be less helpful.