Thursday, June 4, 2020

Polyester Primates

Below we have a photo of four zoo animals - two elephants and two polyester primates.

Detroit Zoo 1974
Photo courtesy of Dad

Seriously, that was the first thing my sister brought up - our outfits. 

"I hated that polyester outfit.  At least yours had ventilation at the neck.  Mine was a stifling, half-turtleneck that was so tight around my neck.  No air circulated through the neck or the chest or the back of the shirt itself." 

I'm sure she's right, but that certainly wasn't what I noticed first about this photo.  We had to continue with the wardrobe critique before we could talk about anything else though.

"I hated it when you wore your hair like that.  Those silly ponytail holders with those little balls.  I just didn't like them.  Oh wait, I did like them for one reason and one reason only.  When we would fight I could grab that silly ball and stretch the elastic.  When it hit your head coming back it must have hurt.  You screamed loud enough."

Fighting aside, I quite liked my hair like that.  Look how straight and shiny it is. I certainly thought it looked better than later perms, but I couldn't get my sister to admit to that.  She did agree that her hair was a bit messed up, but only because she must have wiped the perspiration from her brow just prior to the picture being snapped.  Her bad hair is due to extenuating circumstances. My bad hair, in her opinion, is just bad hair.

Eventually we were able to move on to the elephant in the room - the actual elephants.  

"Dad's timing must have been off.  That angle is making it look like my head has just slid out of that elephant's ass.  Maybe that's what's wrong with my hair.  Ewww."

At least she was willing to finally acknowledge there was something wrong with her hair.

We did eventually reminisce about the zoo itself.  The excitement of spotting the Detroit Zoo water tower from the road.  The fun of following the animal footprints stamped on the walkways throughout the park.  The polar bear that would splash onlookers.  Mom's dislike of the reptile exhibit.  The fact that we both remember all the words from this 1982 commerical**.

On viewing that ad again, I realise that, with her concern about her wardrobe, my sister might have more in common with the peacocks than the primates.  Polyester peacock.  Sounds just about right.

(*Note:  I don't get anything for the links above.  They're there for your information.  Hope you find them useful.)
(** Note: The picture quality is quite bad, but the sound is OK.)







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