Around the end of last year, Jeff Caswell reached out to me and 99 other people to contribute to an Age-of-Conversation-type book he was editing. Code-named The Project 100, this project would bring together 100 authors each contributing 400 words on marketing in the social media era. The profits would go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Well, Jeff published the book - now called CONNECT! You can order it here. The price is $19.95, with $7.25 per book going to Susan G. Komen. I've had the chance to read several entries and the perspectives cover a wide range of topics and writing styles.
As an appetizer, here is a portion of my contribution:
“I Want a Lassie”
Every Tuesday night at 8:30, after Nick at Nite’s showing of Lassie, I’d sprint my pint-size self into my parent’s bedroom. There I’d recount in tongue-tripping enthusiasm what marvelous things I’d just witnessed. The mountain lion Lassie drove away from Timmy. Their adventure in the swamp. The UFO mystery they solved.
My rapture reached heights that left me with no other choice:“Dear Santa,I want a Lassie!!!”
As the lone line item, my parents felt obligated.
Dixon looked like Lassie. But she was more likely to fall asleep facedown in the cat food than to rescue anyone from a mineshaft.
I loved her still.
Though in hindsight, a Lassie was not my Christmas wish. I wanted what she represented. A companion to solve mysteries with, protect me and be at my side through all my adventures.
I wanted a sidekick.
Though unsung, sidekicks are remarkable. Performing a variety of functions (see chart 1), these loyal partners make heroes of others. What of Shrek without Donkey? Frodo without Samwise Gamgee? What of Penn without Teller? Steve Jobs without the “Woz”?
In many ways, “I want a Lassie!!!” tapped a universal need in storytelling and life: a sidekick to take a journey with us...
2 comments:
I'd love to see where this is going. I've always preferred the sidekicks to the main heroes. They're more interesting. They're the underdogs (which is to be taken literally in Lassie's case) :-)
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