What would Sigmund Freud
have said about the popularity of a giant wiener cavorting across
the American landscape? I'd guess nobody really gives a damn anymore,
besides the staunchest of the old-school psychoanalysis crowd. But
I can't help but wonder what fascinates me about the greatest mobile
icon of popular culture ever to grace our roadways; maybe it's innate
pride in the American audacity and know-how that went ahead and
said "yes, we can build a giant hot dog and have a little guy
in a chef's hat drive it around." Or maybe it's the absurdity
of it. It's probably a little of both.
In any case, I think we should all think about how something fairly
insignificant like the Wienermobile brings some joy into our everyday
lives, and how it's the little things that help us get through the
day. Every person who's ever told me about their "sighting"
of the Weinermobile did it with excitement in their eyes and voice
that is rivalled only by a kid on Christmas morning. I think we
need a few more Wienermobiles around, along with Big Boy up on top
of our hamurger stands, and ice cream shops shaped like giant banana
splits. The sterilization of American roadsides through well-meaning
but ill-thought-out signage regulations saddens me to no end. Pastoral
beauty is gone, and it ain't comin' back; let's at least have some
fun.
So don't take the Wienermobile for granted, nor the other relics
of our popular culture that might make you smile; the old neon motel
sign near the highway, or the character on your favorite box of
cereal.
And ya know, if Freud ever happened across the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile
one day, I'd like to think the master of dream-symbolism interpretation
would just smile and say, "sometimes a hot dog is just a hot
dog." |
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