So what, pray, is Snagglepuss up to now? (A Fanfic Friday Crossover unto Bright Star)
The following is to be imagined as a George Harvey piece for no less than the Hillsdale Morning Star, with third-page prominence likely:
The least likely place to find a celebrity of any stature at bar-closing time in Hillsdale would have to be Sophie Mae's Blue Plate Cafe, even with its being open all hours.
Such was where yours truly found no less a celebrity than Snagglepuss the other night, nursing a ham-and-cheese omlette with hash browns and coffee for no reason other than a midnight breakfast "out on the road." Which, to none other than Mr. Heavens to Murgatroyd himself, was heading towards rendezvous towards a Road Trip to End All Road Trips with many of his fellow characters from the Hanna-Barbera stable beginning at none other than the Wall Drug Store of "Free Ice Water" sign fame, and continuing eastward to numerous other destinations that will eventually culminate in an appearence at next month's Moxie Festival in Lisbon, Maine.
"Which, Mr. Harvey--", Snagglepuss began.
"You can call me George here," replied I.
"--is nothing less than celebrating all things Moxie."
"I believe you're talking the soft drink Moxie?"
"Correct. Which, admittedly, is an acquired taste known largely to New Englanders."
"So what exactly led to your coming up with a road trip to the Moxie Festival?"
"Huckleberry Hound and I, in case you enquire, like to come up with creative places to host Character Convocations, which you might say are a mix of reunion, meet-and-greet even, for many of us Funtastics from the Hanna-Barbera cartoons we grew up with well into the mid-1980's or so. Which have used as backdrops the likes of the Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, Fiesta--"
"I think I recall a few of those with Ralph Edwards in my day."
"How correct you are. We decided to keep alive the spirit of those Fiesta days when Mr. Edwards, host and creator of the namesake game show, would bring along several emerging Hollywood stars over to celebrate the annual Fiesta in what had formerly been Hot Springs, New Mexico."
"And I understand Mr. Edwards got the name changed when the show had its ten-year annoversary back in 1950."
"Originally for publicity. But for some reason, George, Huck and I thought it might be interesting to bring back the spirit of those Fiestas."
"Can you think of a few others as followed since?"
"Ahh yes ... we had a presence at the Minneapolis Aquatennial, again recalling when you had celebrities there by the score. Even if it's not exactly what it used to be."
"As in--"
"Down to only about a week, and the Torchlight Parade the only such."
"I get it now somewhat."
"Subsequently to be followed with a setup at the Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival ... and believe you me, we Funtastics certainly had a ball enjoying downhill and cross-country skiing ... snowshoing ... snowboarding ... even ski-biking!! And can you imagine the crowds in downtown Steamboat Springs joining us for selfies ... oh, and most recently, we were in Wisconsin Dells for their fall festival, Wo-Zha-Wa."
"I wonder myself what that means."
"As my boon companion there and guide thereto, Crazy Claws, explains, it's the Ho-Chunk term for 'fun time.' Crazy Claws 'himself' served as host and guide to the whole, and even helped out in arranging parade and meet-and-greet appearences galore."
"That's pretty interesting ... tell me, where are you planning to stop this time?"
"Among stops in mind will be the World's Only Corn Palace, in Mitchell, South Dakota ... not to mention the SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota ... as well as a special presence at the Steamboat Days festival in Winona, Minnesota--"
(Which had yours truly a little dumbstruck. Nonetheless, I wished him and his fellow characters well on the road, even as he was finishing off his omlette.)
