Last week, I received a telephone call from my sister Kathy, a retired schoolteacher who lives in Austin, Texas. We haven’t seen each other for several years, but we stay connected by telephone.
After we had gone through our “Hellos” and “How are you doings” she said, “Guess what I am watching on my television right now?” Thankfully she didn’t keep me guessing for very long. She then explained that she was watching an old Roy Rogers television show.
She told me that as soon as she started watching, she knew she had to give me a call. As a young boy, I was infatuated with Roy Rogers. My first connections with him were with comic books and radio programs.
Later there were movies and his weekly television show. I remember attending Roy Rogers movies with a couple of cousins. We would hang out at our grandparents’ house and walk to either the Garfield or the Fountain Square theaters to see a Roy Rogers movie.
Over a couple of my birthdays and Christmases, I acquired a total Roy Rogers cowboy look. I had a nice cowboy hat, a couple of western shirts, several neck scarves, comfy cowboy boots and of course, a two-pistol belt with shiny cap-guns.
The only times that I didn’t have my special cowboy outfit on was when I was in school or having to go someplace with my parents. I even learned to adjust my voice so that I spoke and totally sounded like Roy Rogers.
Kathy began telling me how she discovered the return of the show. She told me how to search for myself. I listened carefully and took a couple of notes. When it was time for me to respond to her, I dug down deep inside of me and answered in my famous Roy Rogers voice.
After we finished our telephone chat, I followed her directions and quickly discovered that I could also watch Roy Rogers shows. I think I have watched three or four of them now. It was special to get caught up with Roy, Dale Evans, Pat Brady, Trigger (Roy’s horse), Bullitt (Roy’s dog) and Nellybelle (Pat Brady’s jeep).
I told Kathy that I had also recently discovered an old cowboy television show. I had been watching old Gene Autry shows. These shows are also 30 minutes in length, just like Roy’s shows. Gene and Roy were also singers. Gene quite often sang a song near the end of most of his shows. I had been totally enjoying them. I gave her directions for her to start watching Gene Autry.
On occasion, I enjoy watching a couple of old comedy television shows. I remember listening to both of these shows on that big old free-standing radio that we had in our living room. One of the shows starred Jack Benny. My parents really enjoyed his shows. I remember them being excited when his television show premiered.
The other radio show was The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. George and Gracie were married, and they had funny family stories each week. Both shows started on the radio and then later on television. I watch a couple of episodes now each week.
At the end of most Burns and Allen shows, George would say to Gracie, “Say goodnight, Gracie”.
Gracie would respond, “Goodnight Gracie”.
Lyn and I have carried that on for years. At the end of the day (bedtime) one of us will say the first part and the other must finish off the second part. It switches each time. One time I speak first, and she responds and the next time she goes first.
This time I get to go first, “Say goodnight, Gracie”.
Shonk is a 1960 graduate of Southport High School, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools. He can be reached through email at fdshonk@aol.com.