Did
I ever tell you the time that I wanted a Tickle Trunk?
I'm
being serious here. When I was growing
up in a little small town in Southeastern Ontario, I really wanted a tickle
trunk all of my own.
Now,
I suppose that some of you are probably thinking that I have completely lost
the plot here. You're probably
wondering what a tickle trunk is, and what it is used for. Some of you are probably thinking that it's
something used for naughty activities, and how dare I talk about that sort of
smut on this blog!
I
dare talk because a tickle trunk is nothing bad. In fact, it's probably one of the most non-threatening things
that one could ever hope to have in their home.
But
where does the origin of the tickle trunk come from? Well, I have a feeling that people my age and older who lived in
Canada and possibly any states that bordered Canada would instantly know what I
am talking about. But for those of you
who don't, here's a little hint.
The
show was "Mr. Dressup", a Canadian television program that ran for
nearly thirty years on CBC. And it was
a show that I absolutely loved. I loved
Mr. Dressup's creativity in telling classic stories. I liked when he hung around with Casey and Finnegan. I liked when he had special guests drop by.
And
most importantly, I liked Mr. Dressup's tickle trunk. It was a bright red trunk that sat in the middle of his living
room, and it was painted with flowers and butterflies. Looking back on it, it was probably hip and
modern back when the show began in the 1960s, as psychadelic patterns were all
the rage. At any rate though, the
tickle trunk was definitely a piece of television history that I really wanted
in my own room.
Now,
I suppose you're wondering why the trunk was called the tickle trunk. No, it was not a place where you could sit
down in and get tickled to death.
Believe me, as someone who HATES being tickled, I most definitely would
not want that kind of tickle trunk.
No,
the reason why it was called the tickle trunk was because there were some
instances in which the trunk would be stubborn, and refuse to open for Mr.
Dressup, so in order for him to gain access, he would have to tickle the lock a
little bit. If he tickled it at just
the right place, it would spring open.
And
what was inside the tickle trunk was the very reason why I wanted one.
You
see, part of the reason why the show was called "Mr. Dressup" was
because inside the trunk was a lot of clothing and costumes. I mean a LOT. I swear, that trunk had a bottomless pit with the amount of
clothing items that Mr. Dressup had in there.
There were hats, scarves, coats, sweaters, goggles, boots, and so much
more.
And
did I mention that the tickle trunk was magical?
No
matter what Mr. Dressup pulled out of the trunk, whether it was a jacket, a pair
of shoes, or a toque, everything fit him like a glove. Everything was a perfect fit! If only our closets and drawers at home were
the same way. I probably have quite a
few articles of clothing that are either too big for me or too small for
me. Only about 20% of my wardrobe would
classify as a perfect fit. Not a great
track record.
So
yes. One perk to a tickle trunk is an
endless selection of clothes, with every article being a perfect fit.
But
another perk about the tickle trunk was that no matter what, Mr. Dressup could
find the perfect outfit to wear for any occasion.
Let's
suppose that he was acting out a play in which he had to play the ruler of a
kingdom. Would you like to bet that in
the tickle trunk, there would be a cape, a scepter, and a crown? Or, if he wanted to pretend that he was a
fireman, you can bet that there would be a fireman jacket and a fire hat.
I
know that it would certainly make my getting dressed easier. If I was thinking that I wanted to go for a
run, I wouldn't have to worry about looking for my running shoes, as they'd be
right there in the trunk. Or, if I had
a job interview and needed to find my tie, it'd be right there. Seriously, it would make dressing up for the
day a lot easier!
But
of course, the real reason why I wanted a tickle trunk - and why everyone else
should have a tickle trunk in their home?
It promoted creativity.
Imagination. Fun. It was the very symbol of childhood.
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