Sunday, April 15, 2007

The word of the day for April 15, 2007 is “invincible” — adjective : incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued <seemingly invincible army>.

Lloyd and I were comparing movie hero styles. He said he prefers the roles played by Denzel Washington as they are more believable than those played by Arnold Schwarznegger or Wesley Snipes. I agree. There’s something warming about a more or less normal guy who has to work his way out of a problem without being impervious to bullets, broken glass and fire.

Still, my hubby reminisces about the “good old days” when Hopalong Cassidy wore two six-shooters (which would both shoot 52 times without a reload) and every kid on the block was a super hero when he tied a towel around his neck for a cape. They all knew they were indestructible whether stealing peaches from the neighbor’s tree or running the bulls in the packing house stock yards. The very thought of the bicycle, sans seat, chains or brakes—shared by the children who stayed with his care provider—that he would ride downhill and fall off just short of the six-foot drop to the pavement gives me the willies. The most dangerous thing we ever did that I can remember was playing Tarzan on Mother’s clothesline pole from the door of the adjacent treeless treehouse—that and mouthing off to Mother when I was thirteen and realized that I knew everything.

The quote for today is from Elmer Kelton, on fellow Western author Louis L’Amour, NY Times 16 Sep 85:

[His characters] are always 7 feet tall and invincible, mine are 5 feet 8 and nervous.

;^) Jan

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I vaguely remember reading a Louis L'Amour cowboy story.  Mainly because it prompted me into writing a cowboy story for my English class.  You know the kind you write as a kid..."Jeb rode into town on his Pinto and headed straight for the Star Saloon type...Lol!
I also remember slapping my backside as we left the Matinee Cinema after seeing  Gene Autrey or Hopalong Cassidy or Roy Rogers and Trigger  Yup!   Them waaar the days!  Thanks for the memories....