A Disturbing Discovery

Okay, so maybe I’m the last one on Earth to realize this, but my daughter and I were watching Shrek last night, and she points out the bearskin rug on Lord Farquaad’s floor.

“Is that Mama Bear?” she asked.

My first instinct was to say, “No, honey, it’s just a bear rug.” Then I noticed the pink bow in the bear’s “hair.” And I remembered that in the “fairy tale creatures” scene, we’d seen only Papa Bear and Baby Bear. And at the wedding scene, Mama is nowhere to be found. I brushed past the topic then, but I’d realized...

Mama Bear didn’t make it.

I suppose even the creators may have felt a little awkward about it, since she does appear in the “Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party” video, but since that’s not really part of the movie, I don’t think it counts.

Later on, I was telling my daughter that I’d be heading away to Phoenix for the weekend, to act as the officiant for a friend’s wedding. After just having watched the wedding scene in Shrek, she was convinced that I’d be wearing an elaborate “priest” costume, and was all excited to see me in it. When I explained that I’d just be wearing a suit, she thought for a second, then added, “Well, is it a white suit?”

I was sorry to have to disappoint her, but it’s just my regular, dark blue suit. She was crestfallen.

In any case, I’m flying out tomorrow morning. Maybe I can find something distinctive to wear en route...