Whistlin' Dixie

Well, actually, that's one I don't whistle.

But for a person who for the first 25 years or so of her life didn't have the ability to whistle, I seem to be one whistlin' fool now. I just puckered one day and had the ability, and I've never looked back.

I whistle to the radio ("to every hook she catches," thank you Squeeze), driving along in the car, pushing my buggy through the grocery, and at work. Especially at work. The girls I work with can attest to that, with clenched teeth and rolling eyes.

So what do I whistle at work? Anything that catches my brain. When I come back from lunch after having watched that Vonage "Woo Hoo" commercial three or so times on TV, I'll be whistling that. If someone mentions they went to Puerto Rico, I start to whistle the beginning of "America" from "West Side Story." You know, "Puerrrrto Rrrrrico, you lovely iiiiiiisland." If someone calls to say they want to insure their antique car, a GTO, I'll spend the next hour whistling "Little GTO." And so on.

I whistle lots of band songs. Community Band songs. Lately I've been whistling "Crown Imperial," that's the coronation march, maybe my toothy crown's been on my mind. And "Immer Kleiner," a little number Mr M will be doing a solo on for the Spring concert. Extra catchy number, that one is. And one by our writer-in-residence, an arrangement of "Daughter of the Regiment" that's nigh on impossible to play on the clarinet, sixteenth notes in the highest of high registers. I can't play it for shit, but I can whistle it like a mofo. Which I do.

But for the past two days there's one little ditty - well two lines of one little ditty - I can't seem to stop whistling.

Sunday night I caught some bits and pieces of the "Saturday Night Live" anniversary thingie on NBC. And there was an old skit they showed - when it started, I kind of remembered it, knew I'd seen it, but didn't really remember how it all went. It was an audition for a prison musical. Some "Broadway types" at a table while the prisoners came in and auditioned. So in came Garrett Morris in his black and white prison outfit (shades of my last dental visit), and said for his number he was going to do a little something that kind of summed up his philosophy about life.

Then the piano went "Da da, da da da DAH!" And he started to sing, "I'm gonna get me a shotgun and kill all the whiteys I seeeeee, I'm gonna get me a shotgun and kill all the whiteys I seeeeee."

Well, I can't help it, but I thought that, there after 30 years, that was about the funniest thing I've seen on TV in, well, in about 30 years. I was howling with laughter, doubled over, rolling back and forth in the Comfy Chair, wiping tears from my eyes.

And since bright and early Monday morning, I've probably whistled the first two lines of that song a hundred times. At least. Like I said, ask the girls at work. If they haven't already quit yet.

Betland's Olympic Update:
* It's time for Acrowinners. Get your red hot California Acrowinners here:
Honorable Mention goes to MSAGRO with "Rain storms odd. I'm from Anaheim."
Runner-Up goes to LilyG with "'Rilly?' 'Schweet!' 'Omigod!' I'm fully assimilated."
Winner goes to Flipsycab with "Resplendent silicone obfuscates impish female actresses."
Very good entries all. Thanks for playing!