There are many serious issues confronting the world these days. The presidential election looms large of course. There are serious wars around the world that we must keep our eyes on. Global warming is not going away. There are astronauts stranded in space. And, the question of will Taylor Swift’s endorsement for president turn the election, remains of major importance.
Even the “Happiest Place on Earth” is in turmoil. It seems that Disney, the multifaceted entertainment giant, has problems at their flagship venue Walt Disney World in Florida.
It has been announced that Disney plans to demolish Tom Sawyer’s Island. The island is the only place in the entertainment mega park that a person can … if they board a real/fake log raft … find a quiet, shady spot out of the hot sun, to relax under a tree (even though the tree may be artificial).
The plan is to replace the rope bridges, secret caves and the ever-popular Swiss Family Tree House. To add insult to injury, the corporate suits are also planning to scuttle the iconic Mark Twain paddle wheel boat that circles the island. (To heck with whaling ships, wouldn’t that look nice in our harbor?)
A new, exciting “Cars” themed land will rise, where a peace-and-quiet, nostalgic experience will be replaced with cartoon racing cars complete with simulated, roaring-engine sounds. Walt Disney must be rolling over in his grave.
Many questions remain about the transformation. However, there is one supreme question that has overtaken all internet chatter about Walt’s creations. It is: Is Goofy a dog or a cow?
I’ll get to that in a minute. Goofy was big in our family when our daughter was young. She just loved Goofy. Like most young families, a trip to Walt Disney World was prerequisite, so off we flew for a 10-day vacation at the aforementioned, “Happiest Place on Earth.”
Happiness did not last long. The first stop was to place ourselves at the end of a very, very long, line waiting to get Goofy’s autograph. Alas, just as my baby reached the beginning of the line, just as it was her turn to meet her object of affection, he turned away and left! The “meet and greet” was over. I guess dogs, like humans, must relieve themselves, or at least that’s what I told our balling offspring. Luckily, she met Goofy the next day, and all became right in our world.
The question remains, however, is Goofy a dog or a cow? It seems that a segment of our population that pays no attention to important world affairs is kvetching over this question. While his pal Pluto is definitely a dog, Goofy does have an on-going relationship with Clarabelle, a cow. To get to the bottom of this pressing conundrum, inquiring minds (people with a lot of time of their hands) went to the horse’s … er cow’s … er dog’s mouth.
Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy since 1987, has declared that Goofy is “not a dog,” though he “seems to be in the canine family.” He is of the “Canis Goofus” breed. And, Goofy was not always his name. He first appeared in a newspaper cartoon using the alias “Dippy Dawg,” which may account for the current confusion.
There you go. If you see me around, feel free to thank me for taking you away from the serious issues of the day.
You’re welcome.
Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and happily retired writer. His newspaper columns appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.
Thoughts on…
By Dick Morgado
I’ve always thought of Goofy as a dog, but in some versions is in a relationship with a cow. However this does make it very odd considering Pluto’s position as his friend groups pet dog. Does this imply Pluto is not a dog, but a handicapped “Canis Goofus” that they treat as a pet?