COOL BISCUIT FEATHER TOOTH
He was ugly, and I mean instinctual eye squint and grimace ugly, but that was half the fun of it. He was tall and lanky with really bad posture, a sunken chest with narrow and drooping shoulders.
Come to think of it, he looked like the skinny guy in the “before” frames in the old Charles Atlas cartoon strips in the back of comic books. You know, the pathetic looking kid who gets sand kicked in his face by the beach bully – in front of the girls to add insult to injury. Kinda like that… minus the feet, face, ears, and skin.
His teeth were enormous, too big for his face, too wide and too long. He made Bugs Bunny look like Charlton Heston. The same could be said about his ears in relation to Bugs Bunny, not to mention his feet that were so long that he’d have to lift them half way to his chest to clear the ground when he walked.
It’s hard to make a truly ugly cartoon character, but we were determined. They gave us every possible shape and size of everything from heads to body types – noses, ears, and even their gait.
Along with the options to create our own custom looking cartoon animal for the Disney interactive computer game for kids called, “Toon Town”, they gave us a massive list of words and names to come up with a personalized name for our character.
My youngest’s computer cartoon character’s name was, “Cool Biscuit Feather Tooth”, the ugliest critter in Toon Town.My daughter was around six when one ordinary weekend day we created something extraordinary. Not because Cool Biscuit Feather Tooth was exceptional, that’s the point, he wasn’t, but the time spent being fully engaged with others, family or otherwise, creates gratification and a life full of wonderful memories.
A few months back my wife asked, “Do you remember… what was his name?” she looked at me, then off into space, sifting through old files in her memory banks.
“Huh?” I asked with zero clue about where she was going with the line of questioning, which is pretty common.
“Cool Biscuit Feather Tooth”, she smiled.
“Oh yeah,” I laughed, “I’ll never forget that goofy name.”
Our youngest had more fun making that goofy Toon Town character and us naming him that she ever did playing the interactive game.
Cool Biscuit Feather Tooth disappeared shortly thereafter along with the computer crash of 2004. What didn’t disappear is the memory of the gangly cartoon rabbit as well as a chapter in life that can’t be relived but can be cherished.
I know it’s easy to spend time with loved ones. Like Christ said, that’s the easiest thing for us to do, but I think it helps to serve as a reminder, that time invested in others, including family, friends, and others, returns dividends that last for an eternity… just like Cool Biscuit Feather Tooth.
Brad Gore
Sunday, January 29, 2017 @ 6:38 am
Your the best!! As always I really enjoyed a quick jaunt down memory lane with you
Thank you
Dikkon Eberhart
Sunday, January 29, 2017 @ 7:04 pm
I loved discovering how this one turned out, Floyd. Nowhere near where I thought it was headed–although, come to think of it, I couldn’t IMAGINE where it was headed!
Blessings to you!
Lynn D. Morrissey
Sunday, January 29, 2017 @ 10:16 pm
What an imaginative name. Children are so wonderful, aren’t they? I love naming our houses (we’ve only had two, and a cabin), and when we moved to this one, then-seven Sheridan wanted to name it Holy Pink Crystal House. A little fru-fru doncha think? Girls come up with the most imaginative names. Your baby is adorable on that photo, and she looks so happy and secure in your arms, Floyd. It’s times you spent with her when she was young (drawing those crazy cartoons, making up character names, and playing with her bunny rabbit) that have forged the relationship you have with her today. You can’t put a price tag on that. I will never forget this line from one of Ken Gire’s books: “Casual neglect leads to catastrophic loss.” Surely, you didn’t neglect any of your daughters. Now, you are reaping the benefits of that investment. Thank you for sharing in only the way that you can.
Love
Lynn
Bill (cycleguy)
Monday, January 30, 2017 @ 6:00 am
Loved the walk down memory lane Floyd. Isn’t it funny how things we hadn’t thought about in years or thought we had lost contact with come flooding back in a rush? Thanks for the story. But I am sore about one thing: you had a head of hair back then too. Still do. You’re causing me a great deal of angst. 🙂
Lisa notes
Monday, January 30, 2017 @ 10:43 am
Gotta love that name. 🙂 Very creative! My favorite stuffed animal was just “Donkey” who was…you guessed it, a donkey. ha.
TC Avey
Monday, January 30, 2017 @ 12:31 pm
Great teaching lesson from something so fun.
I often have to remind myself that “people, not projects matter.”
God cares more about how I treat people than me accomplishing my “to-do” list.
Cheryl
Monday, January 30, 2017 @ 3:38 pm
Aww…that is such a sweet, precious story! Kevin and I have been reminiscing a lot lately, too, as we look through things from the past. Whew, it is hard…when you know you can’t go back and relive them, and you see your child growing up so quickly. But, the thing is, we made the best of those times, right? You and your wife with your precious girl, and us with our dear son. That is such a sweet picture of the two of you. You have a special bond, that’s for sure. Thanks for sharing the memories with us here, brother. God bless you all.
Betty Draper
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 @ 10:18 am
Building memories for our mind to replay as we age is one of the best things our mind does. As my mother mind begin to go I would try to get her to retrieve a memory and usually she could no do it, dementia steals. Yet every so often, like one time we had had her out for lunch and we are driving down the main street of my small home town when all of a sudden she says, I use to ride my bike from up town out to the factory at the edge of town, back then it was cobble stone streets. When ask why, she said, I worked for the telegraph company and it was my job to deliver the telegraphs when they came for the factory. I had never hear that story so I checked with her brother, sure enough, at 15-16 that was her job. It was a precious memory that came flooding back to her and gave us a little glimpse of my mother as a teen. Our two adult children love to laugh over memories of being kids, riding hot wheels, bikes in the neighbor hood. Every time they do it we learn a little bit more of how they thought back then, their make believe play. It makes me cry because I don’t have those fun memories of my childhood and the tears are not for sorrow but gratefulness that could give my children something so different. Good writing brother, invoked a few memories in this old woman mind which is what a good story should do. Blessings.
June
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 @ 11:42 am
What a fun memory, Floyd! I enjoyed reading the responses from your readers. Your posts always resonate with others – the mark of a gifted writer. Have a blessed week, brother!
Joanne Norton
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 @ 3:29 pm
As usual, Bro, you grabbed and grabbed and grabbed a lot of attention and a wonderful portion of your writing. Thank you much for sharing and doing whatever and whenever you can. Bless you!!! 😉
Dolly
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 @ 3:30 pm
Floyd,
What a truly precious memory and photo! And I love your girl’s creativity…yes, what a priceless gift those memories are when they’re made and each time they are recalled 🙂
saleslady371
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 @ 4:14 pm
I like those times we enter the make believe world of our children too. Tom created Timmy Goodbody and our girls laugh as he now snuggles with granddaughters relating new episodes of the ageless Timmy’s life as only a grandfather can. I look at this photo and wonder…babydoll must be two maybe, and isn’t she now college age? My, you look much the same in person. I can’t wait until your book on anti-aging is released so I can read it and look young as I grow old.
Hazel Moon
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 @ 11:19 pm
This is a great story and what fun you and your daughter had constructing this ugly cute creature. Our grandson is 21 now, so my memory has to be maybe 15 or 18 years ago, I purchased a computer program where you matched socks, and took animals through a series of obstacles. All to teach hand eye coordination and thinking for the young children. Honestly us adults (and our teen age granddaughters) had more fun than our grandson as we helped him play this game. Funny how those memories take us back to fun times. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story. Loved this one!
Jason Stasyszen
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 @ 2:28 pm
I love it! And why is it so hard to be fully engaged. It’s what we want and crave, but we can float so easily and remain so distracted. Great reminder, Floyd. Be there or be square. 🙂