See The Cat???? See The Cradle?????

When I was just a young thing, darlings, my good friend Mary Anne (who, like the movie title is a "Young Philadelphian"; you better believe it, darlings!!!!) and I used to spend endless time on her front porch, playing the string game known as Cat's Cradle.
Mary Anne was something of a champion at it, (especially adept at the difficult "Pinkies Move"!!!!) and she taught me.

I reached high school, where I discovered that all the Honor Seniors were reading this book called "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (I used to have the Dell paperback edition, with the red cover, which I preferred, but it got lost in the March Of Time, or moves!!!!!) It dealt with nuclear holocaust, the string game, and something called Boko Maru, a game where two people lay on the ground away from each other, raising their legs, with both soles of their feet touching. This is what I carried for years as my memory of it.

And these memories pretty much held up. I had forgotten how Boko Maru used to fascinate me; I would try and do it all the time. And I haven't picked up a string to do Cat's Cradle in a long time, but I am confident I can still do it!!!!!!!!

However, having just read the masterwork "Slaughterhouse Five," this may have been a little too much Vonnegut. It is not nearly as good as the aforementioned, and seems to repeat ideas and themes in the other book. Though I am sure this is simply characteristic of most of Vonnegut's work.

This novel was written originally in 1963, but it has a distinctively 70's brand of cynicism, right down to the final sentence. And the 70's is when I first discovered it. If you have not read "Cat's Cradle," it is well worth your time. If you have already, cherish those Boko Maru memories, and move on to something else!!!!!!!

Like it says at the end of "Dr. Strangelove", we'll meet again, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!