How do I not know this Monkees song? I was a huge fan. I still have my Davy Jones Love beads in an old jewelry box.
My aesthetic origin story would be about story. My dad used to read me Dr Seuss books—all the Hopping on Pop, the One Fish and Two Fish, and Cat in the Hat. We had a subscription for a new book every month from the Dr Seuss library, but they weren't all penned by Seuss. One month it wasn't cartoonish rhyme-filled word play, it was a book titled Little Black, a Pony.
It was the story of a young boy and his loyal friend and pony, Little Black. The boy loved little black but wanted so much to ride the big horse, Big Red. He snuck out one night on Big Red, and the little pony was sad to see the boy ride off into the night without him. I think there was a winter storm as well for extra tension. Little Black follows the pair. At some point, the boy and Big Red end up on a lake, and the boy falls off the horse and through the ice. The big horse can't help because he is too big and heavy. Little Black is able to go low and slow out on the ice and pull the boy to safety. It ends with the boy and pony being best friends again.
I vividly remember feeling so sad for the pony when he was left behind. And so scared when the boy fell through the ice, and so happy that not only was the boy saved but he realized what a great friend he had in Little Black and all was right with the world. I used to take this book off the shelf and pretend I was reading it, remembering the drama along with the pictures. I was about four years old, and aside from Seuss, my only other knowledge of stories was fairy tales. This book was story grounded in a world that looked like mine. Unconsciously, I think it was when I realized that books weren't just silly or fantastical, they could make you feel things. I was forever hooked on stories about everyday people dealing with complicated feelings and situations.
What a wonderful memory! I'm so glad you shared it. I had that feeling about books too as a child. I think the seminal one for me--the first--was The Velveteen Rabbit. I thought about that story so much. (And that Monkees song is so under-appreciated!)
How do I not know this Monkees song? I was a huge fan. I still have my Davy Jones Love beads in an old jewelry box.
My aesthetic origin story would be about story. My dad used to read me Dr Seuss books—all the Hopping on Pop, the One Fish and Two Fish, and Cat in the Hat. We had a subscription for a new book every month from the Dr Seuss library, but they weren't all penned by Seuss. One month it wasn't cartoonish rhyme-filled word play, it was a book titled Little Black, a Pony.
It was the story of a young boy and his loyal friend and pony, Little Black. The boy loved little black but wanted so much to ride the big horse, Big Red. He snuck out one night on Big Red, and the little pony was sad to see the boy ride off into the night without him. I think there was a winter storm as well for extra tension. Little Black follows the pair. At some point, the boy and Big Red end up on a lake, and the boy falls off the horse and through the ice. The big horse can't help because he is too big and heavy. Little Black is able to go low and slow out on the ice and pull the boy to safety. It ends with the boy and pony being best friends again.
I vividly remember feeling so sad for the pony when he was left behind. And so scared when the boy fell through the ice, and so happy that not only was the boy saved but he realized what a great friend he had in Little Black and all was right with the world. I used to take this book off the shelf and pretend I was reading it, remembering the drama along with the pictures. I was about four years old, and aside from Seuss, my only other knowledge of stories was fairy tales. This book was story grounded in a world that looked like mine. Unconsciously, I think it was when I realized that books weren't just silly or fantastical, they could make you feel things. I was forever hooked on stories about everyday people dealing with complicated feelings and situations.
Sorry for the long reply, but you asked!
What a wonderful memory! I'm so glad you shared it. I had that feeling about books too as a child. I think the seminal one for me--the first--was The Velveteen Rabbit. I thought about that story so much. (And that Monkees song is so under-appreciated!)
I agree, and I actually think the Monkees are under appreciated in general.