The Hanna Montana Mustashe, The Boston Blackie Kind

I have to have a smile every time I go to Walmart and pass a big stand up poster of Hanna Montana. In every Walmart that I have been into, each and every one of those posters have a mustashe or an unusual eyebrow, a few blackened teeth, (not always the same two) and/or some strange markings of tattoos on her arms and even some eyebrow rings and nose rings.
In my whole shopping experiences at any Walmart, I have not witnessed one....not one... person adding these decorations to Hanna Montana. It makes me wonder if the night crew is not having too much fun. I wonder if Hanna, herself, has ever walked through a Walmart and seen these wonders.

I put this question of marking posters like hit and run art to my David and wondered why it was so.

He remembers in the Marine Corps, that people had pictures of lovely ladies pinned to their walls and at every incognitio opportunity someone drew mustashes, or other more suggestive things on these things. They laughed their behinds off and went on their way, leaving their mark, so to speak.

My next question was about bathroom poems.

Is there some innate urge to leave our mark like cave people of yore? People write stuff under bridges, on overpasses, building walls, sidewalks, and even in the sand.

Kilroy was here. hahah.

Love,
Betty

Grafitti--don't try it in some countries. You might not live through it.

I haven't noticed the Hannah graffiti here, Betty. But maybe it's a culture shock thing. I haven't even seen the posters, to be honest. Perhaps she is more popular in Fla.? Or unpopular as the graffiti might suggest.

It was the same in the Army, Betty. Boys will be boys.

I love latrine prose and poetry. Little if any of it can be repeated in polite society, needless to say. In the day when pay toilets could be found in every railroad and bus station as well many department stores there was one poem that could be found in every one of them. This required considerable work because the words had to be scratched on the enamel of the inside of the door. The first two lines (there were four) are quite innocent but Jackie bristles if I repeat even that much:
Here I sit
Broken hearted . . .

Even in ancient Rome there was graffiti carved into the walls. In Pompeii evidence was found that graffiti was used for political purposes as well as by people just leaving their mark. Antonio Darius was here.

Ha!! I know the rest of that one, Dick!

Helen,
I'm wondering how you know that. I thought it was only posted in Men's Latrines. Hmmmmm.

Hmmmmm is right!

Such things have been around for quite a while. I remembered a bit of a poem by Jonathan Swift: "The Lady's Dressing Room," and Googled it (Alice, does that mean I am turning into James? :

Quote :

Five hours, (and who can do it less in?)
By haughty Celia spent in dressing;
The goddess from her chamber issues,
Arrayed in lace, brocades, and tissues.
Strephon, who found the room was void
And Betty otherwise employed,
Stole in and took a strict survey
Of all the litter as it lay;
Whereof, to make the matter clear,
An inventory follows here.

*******************

In vain, the workman shewed his wit
With rings and hinges counterfeit
To make it seem in this disguise
A cabinet to vulgar eyes;
For Strephon ventured to look in,
Resolved to go through thick and thin;
He lifts the lid, there needs no more:
He smelt it all the time before.

********************

Thus finishing his grand survey,
Disgusted Strephon stole away
Repeating in his amorous fits,
Oh! Celia, Celia, Celia s***s!

Ann

No, Ann,

You will never turn into James. You are too gifted for that.

Alice, that is a certainty--you speak the truth!!

Enjoyed that Swift poem, Ann. Lot of truth there, yet still we love the ladies. Swift was more flattering than Kipling, who called them "a rag and a bone and a hank o' hair."

Did that come from Kipling? I remember it from Jimmie Rodgers.. and Marty Robbins.. and Rick Nelson, in "Honeycomb."

Everything comes around again. Betty, I wouldn't be surprised if Billy Ray Cyrus were to record it. That would really bring this thread full circle!

alj wrote:

Alice, does that mean I am turning into James? :

Much worse than that -- you are turning into me.