By LEE SCOTT
There was an old cartoon back in the 1940s featuring two chipmunks called Chip ‘n’ Dale. They were Disney cartoon characters who worked originally with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, but eventually got their own show.
Then they transitioned to television in the 1950s, where they had a jingle assigned to them which was a catchy tune, “I’m Chip! I’m Dale. We’re just a couple of crazy rascals out to have fun.” Their voices were recorded at 33 rpm then sped up to 45 rpm. So, you could understand them, and they sounded cute.
I was reminded of these two while reading a book on the back porch recently. I heard strange noises coupled with a chirping sound. There were two squirrels, not chipmunks, who decided to entertain me with an acrobatic show.
I swear they knew I was there because they stood on the limb of a large oak tree looking at me. I put down my book and said, “You now have my undivided attention.”
While suddenly having an urge for some cotton candy, I decided to call them Chip and Dale.
Later, when I asked my spouse about the names, he said it sounded like male strippers.
“No, they are cartoon characters!”
He did not remember them. Turns out their names were a pun based on the Thomas Chippendale furniture company
The act began. First there was the Tarzan like swing, or leap, from one branch to another winding up on the tree in front of me. Their death-defying act reminded me of the famous Flying Wallendas who performed in the air without a net.
Soon they began chasing each other up and down the Live Oak, going round and round. I was getting dizzy.
Occasionally they would stop and chew on a few nuts or leaves then off they would go leaping between trees, which made me close my eyes. One of the squirrels had his cheeks all puffed up and I realized he was storing some extra food.
Before long, Chip disappeared, and Dale performed on his own. He flung his body over to a palm tree and started to plop down from one frond to the next. He was having fun.
Then Chip came out, climbed a limb, and appeared to be bowing and saying, “Ta da! Now you see it, now you don’t.” No more puffed cheeks for him.
Finally, I think they got tired of entertaining me and began scrounging for some food. I went back to my book, but this time put on some headphones with quiet music to ignore them. When I was ready to go in, I looked over at them and they stopped eating.
“Bravo!” I said. “Thank you for the entertainment.” They bowed.
’Til tomorrow guys.
Lee Scott, award winning humor writer takes her “Walter Mitty” like persona and spins tales around everyday life. She enjoys boating, reading, and meeting people. Scott lives in Beaufort with her husband, JD, along with their dog Brandy. You can reach her at Lasshood@aol.com.
