THE HOKEY POKEY KING HAS DIED

I received word late last night that one of my childhood TV icons, Uncle Al, died over the weekend.

My Iowanian friends grew up with Duane and Floppy.  Cincinnati kiddies grew up with our beloved Uncle Al...

"Put your toys away, don't delay, then when you want them you can find them right away; Put your toys away, don't delay, help your Mommy have a happy day!"

"You put your right hand in, you take your right hand out; you put your right hand in and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, and that's what it's all about!"

Actually,  truth be known, my favorite part of the show was when Captain Windy (Al's wife, Wanda) would (literally) fly in and entertain the kids. She was my flying mentor, which, I believe, eventually led me to my obsessive yearning to be able to fly, which eventually led me to my childhood love, Peter Pan (which certainly explains many of my later relationships with men, but I digress).

I was never on the show, unlike several of my friends. My mother, I hate to say, was not fond of the man. I never knew why, but she preferred that I watch Captain Kangaroo. Rebel that I have always been, I watched Uncle Al anyway.

"Stop (knock, knock), Refresh with Barq's..."

I just can't believe it -- another piece of our childhood, gone. 

Uncle Al, the Kiddies' Pal. 

"Thank you for the birds that sing, thank you, God, for everything."

Uncle Al was 84.