Word: misteres
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Settling down each afternoon to watch Mister Rogers' eponymous television show, my brother Peter and I would wait for him to ask his famous musical question, "Won't you be my neighbor?" and we would yell back at the set, laughing uproariously, "But we ARE your neighbors...
...family also went to the same church as the Rogers family, and when we were little, Peter and I would go upstairs during services to the playroom where every few weeks we restless children were joined by Mister Rogers. He would appear in the doorway without fanfare, slip into the room and start reading a book aloud, or talking earnestly with a five-year-old about a new puppy or little brother, or just sit at one of the miniature tables, his long legs tucked up toward his chest, smiling down at us as we played...
...Halloween, Mister and Mrs. Rogers gave out amazing candy (full-size, full-sugar candy bars! No bite-size Hershey bars here. And no ultra-healthy apples or pears.) Mrs. Rogers tended to the trick-or-treaters, but I have a suspicion that Mister Rogers, while perhaps wary of hijacking the costumed childrens' limelight, was always nearby...
...Rogers family moved out to the suburbs, and another family took over the big brick house. Selfishly, I was pleased by the timing: If they had to leave, now was the time. The Rogers' departure coincided neatly with the end of my childhood, and while I really missed knowing Mister Rogers was just down the street, I was really too old (or at least I pretended to be) to watch the show anymore. I started high school, went on dates, and we still saw Mister Rogers at church, where he would smile...
...always vaguely aware of my neighbor's celebrity, but, as is the case with so many remarkable childhood circumstances, the full impact of Mister Rogers' reflected glory didn't hit me until I left home for college. It never ceased to amaze new acquaintances: I grew up just one block from the television legend. Everyone had questions. Did he really wear cardigans at home? (I don't think so). Did he sing "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" when he answered the door? (Nope). Could I get an autograph for someone? (Oooh. I'd rather...