Time Travel

Jim Varney died.

This isn't news, at least not to most of you, but I didn't know it when I read it today. Or, if I did know it once, I had forgotten. I wasn't a big fan, but there is one scene in "Ernest Saves Christmas" that cracks me up. Varney, as Ernest, is a cab driver and he stops on an interstate highway to scoop up a Christmas tree that had fallen on the road. While cars and trucks are crashing all about him, he observes to his fare, "They really stack up at this exit!", oblivious to the fact that it was his actions that caused the mess.

I was reminded of Varney when I read Lileks today who commented on the "Toy Story 3" trailer that was just released. Lileks noted that someone else will voice the dog, obviously. But here's what really made me spin my wheels: Varney died in 2000. That means both of the previous Toy Story movies were out before then. That struck me as a very long time ago. As I think about it, I realize that it was in the 90's when they came out, but it doesn't seem possible somehow. Where has the time gone?

"The 70's Are Here!" was some sort of marketing campaign for somebody. I forget who. But I remember the slogan and being impressed in some way that something had changed because it was the 70's. There was anticipation of some hip, modern and cool future. A time portal that now is 40 years in the past. This slapped me in the head as I looked at some files at work yesterday.

Where has the time gone?

I saw on ESPN.com that the Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas fight was 20 years ago. That was probably the last boxing match I was ever interested in. Tyson still wore the mantle of invincibility and the prospect of Douglas winning was remote, as I recall. But win he did and it seems to me, though I confess I don't really follow the sport, Tyson was never the same after. It seemed to be a watershed that marked the beginning of Tyson's decline. Twenty years ago.

Where has the time gone?

There are, in Springfield anyway, drivers for whom time has no meaning. And they are in the left lane. And they are headed where I am. Slowly.

This is where the time has gone.