URNotAlone

Are We Pyschologically Compatible?

June 15th, 2006 5:57 pm MDT

When I was a kid I remember reading a magazine called "Highlights for Children."  My favorite column was "Goofus and Gallant."  Goofus was the naughty boy who always did the wrong thing and Gallant, the role model for good behavior. A typical Goofus and Gallant pictorial went something like this.  1). Goofus: "C'mon Susie, the science club is boring.  Come join us at the chess club." (giggle)  ------ Gallant: "Susie, the science club sounds interesting too."  Or this.  2). Goofus: "What do you want?!" ----- Gallant: "Did you call me, mother?"

I just read an article stating that "Highlights" came out with its one BILLIONTH copy, not bad for a magazine that started in 1946.  Along with its spiffed up colors and graphics, likewise, Goofus and Gallant got an extreme makover with a new artist to bring it into the 21st century.  Call me old fashioned but I miss the black and white Goofus of yesterday.  He really did look like a thug, not just another mischievous cherry-picking kid.  Realizing that Goofus was only a normal ill mannered ruffian and Gallant was an impossibility straight from the goody-two-shoes twilight zone, a friend and I came up with our own Goofus and Gallant episodes some 25 years ago.

 Goofus and Gallant: A Reappraisal --- 1). Goofus laughs when Tony is afraid to go down the slide. --- Gallant helps Tony down the slide then goes around the corner and laughs his head off. 2). Goofus gets chocolate all over his fingers. --- Gallant always remembers to eat M&M's.  3). Goofus: "I broke your bat but it was already broken." --- Gallant: "Sorry I broke your bat.  I'll take it home and scotch tape it together."  4). Goofus forgets to study and does poorly on the test. --- Gallant forgets to study so he pulls the fire alarm right before the test. 

Ok, so what does this have to do with the title to this little blurb?  Well if you thought this was funny and it inspired you to come up with a few Goofus and Gallant episodes of your own then it means our brains are on the same wavelength!  And yes, regardless of your sex and gender, we may have something in common, psychologically.   ...... But if you thought this was inane, foolish, pointless or nonsensical and you're scratching your head (that is, assuming you even got this far)  then, well, maybe we can still be friends but our psyches are probably not on the same wavelength.  At the very least, our sense of humor is likely to be on opposite sides of the Mason-Dixon line.  :-)