"Mom", said my son Elias when he came downstairs this morning, "How good is your magic?" My wife paused to consider that he posed the question quite seriously. Elias sleeps better at night if his Mom dispels any monsters that may be lurking and wards away nightmares with strongly worded notices slipped beneath the pillow than none but good dreams will be tolerated.
"Well, I don't know, Elias, what sort of magic were you looking for?"
"Can you bring back dead people?"
Her heart sank as one of life's great unknowns guaranteed disappointment. "No, buddy", she said with a sad smile, "No magic is strong enough to do that." His eyes grew bright with unblinked tears and his dear face worked to keep from crying with that brave little quavering lip that melts us every time. Viv thought maybe he was missing his Great Gran, or had heard her talk about other aged relatives who were in failing health, and was marshaling her words of comfort when my tender-hearted son said;
"It's not fair, Mom. It's not fair that death is forever, because that means I don't ever get to meet Madeline Kahn and I love her!"
Thank you, 30-year-old episodes of The Muppet Show. Wait 'til he sees her as Lili Von Shtupp in Blazing Saddles.
She was great in Clue! And, she was in "What's Up, Doc!" as Eunice.
Posted by: The History Enthusiast | December 12, 2008 at 05:41 PM