A legend forevermore

Today’s commentary has its impetus in two very specific moments. First, and foremost, is this little guy that we’ve seen wandering around on the Main Street Gazette from time to time. Yep, that is a pint-sized version of today’s newspaperman. While this photograph may have been taken on Halloween, it would be safe for the readers to assume that I was rarely seen without this outfit.The second came recently from George Savvas’ <>Coffee With Walt photograph from the Disney Parks Blog. This is the photograph that really got me to thinking about artifacts that line my office walls.

There are ancient Walt Disney World pennants, construction photographs of EPCOT Center, a map of the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcadde, even a battered sign from Disney’s Animal Kingdom, to name a few of the more intriguing pieces. Still, it seemed as much as I have steeped myself in the history of Walt Disney and the parks, as much as I have learned and gathered and preached, I seemed to be lacking the watchful eye of Walt.

With that, I began to search for a suitable photograph of Walt to hang in my office. The uniqueness of Savvas’ photograph stuck with me, and I knew I did not want to simply find a photograph of Walt sitting on his desk or in the car on Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. The image of him standing in front of the concept map of Disneyland or the sketch of EPCOT would not do either. I needed to find the piece that was as distinctive as Walt and yet echoed a piece of my life. And then I found the photograph I was looking for.

Two of my heroes caught in a casual moment of song. The pair watch over me now, right beside my desk and, when my house is completely still, I feel as if I can hear them singing across all of those years. And sometimes, just sometimes, I join in the chorus.