cartooning
“I was just talking to my sister. She is toddler proofing their home. Should we dragon proof ours?”
“The idea has its merits. What kind of things is she doing?”
Drag listened intently.
Mom seemed to be itemizing on her fingers. “Locks on the cabinet doors, seat locks on the toilets, covers on all the door knobs, a lock on the garbage can, breakables put away, gates on stairs and doorways, electric socket covers, household cleansers put away…”
I could see dad’s head spinning as he made his own list. “…Breakables, cabinet doors, garbage cans, cleansers.”
“Can’t we just tell him?” I offered my sage ten-year old advice.
We all looked at a three-day old dragon as he lowered his head.
“No you haven’t done anything wrong, little dragon.” I wrapped my arms around the scaly little creature.
Not yet.
“Little Drag,” daddy led him gently by a wing, “this would be unsafe if you ate those bottles; they will make you a very sick dragon. Mama would not like those things, over there, broken. Do you understand?”
Drag did his customary wiggle dance when he understood or was happy.
I know there are so many things I have not thought of.
I could tell daddy was still not sure if we were doing the “right thing” in attempting to raise a dragon in the 21st Century.
Do you remember when you were little and you were “learning to tie your shoes?”
I remember that it took me months to master such a simple action. When I managed to get the loops right they were too big so I couldn’t get them tight; they would fall out as I began to play. I have a picture when I was four: I was pointing my feet, my face registered frustration, my daddy was bent over my untied shoes.
When I got my cast off, I remembered the frustration of tying my shoes. My hand was wobbly and my fingers ineffective. My other hand, though not in a cast, was sprained so it was weak and useless as well. It is slow going. I’m just starting to be able to eat (like a four year old.) I can’t write yet and drawing will be months or a year off. My non-dominant hand is working overtime.
I thought about how laborious and frustrating it must be for someone after an accident who has lost function. How frustrating to learn to eat again, talk again, propel a wheelchair, write or type.
Drag struggles to put on his tennis shoes and needs Emily to tie them for him. Emily reminds him to be grateful that he has wings!!!
Do you remember what it was like when you first learned to tie your shoes or ride a bike???
The new title of this blog should be “Look Ma – No Hands” as I am temporarily disabled. I am regaining a little use of a few fingers but drawing requires more (so does writing.)
*****
This A to Z thing really took a U-turn for me that I hope you will be “challenged” by.
My original post for today was cartooning. I am supposed to be drawing cartoons for a book that is waiting to be submitted for publication.
Here are a couple of my cartoon practices before I was hurt (please note I am not a cartoonist but studied art in another century.)
Some of you might say “those are amateur” while others of you might say “I couldn’t do that!” No, you couldn’t especially if you never tried.
What I would like to challenge you to do is : 1) with your dominant hand draw a simple dog or dragon dish 2) now draw it with your non-dominant hand 3) put a pencil between your teeth (not sure if there is a dominant tooth) and draw the dish.
If I did this exercise with kids, they would love it. As adults we struggle with challenges out of our orbit.
My friends with no use of their arms and legs strive for the slightest of movements. They exercise the parts of their bodies that still work. If I wasn’t struggling right now, I would never show you my drawing with my right hand let alone what I did with my mouth. Today, I feel I accomplished something by drawing with my teeth and I understood more about a true challenge.
Try the Drag Dish Drawing Challenge – Live a little!!
P.S. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of any drawings as the Drag Dish with my teeth. The drawings are primitive, first attempts.
“Daddy, Daddy!”
“Yes Emily.” Dad wore that I’m not sure if this is enthusiastic scream or… there is “more trouble.”
“Guess what?”
“I can hardly wait to hear.” Well actually news at home these days leaves me rather short of breath.
“He can fly. Drag can fly, well almost. He kinda runs, jumps, flaps and falls on his face, but he’s getting better.”
“Flying? Oh yes flying.” I absently wipe my brow at the thought of a full-grown, flying dragon in my house.
“He told me that he is too heavy for his wings, but his wings will get stronger.”
How much easier would it have been to have gotten a standard poodle? No talking, no wings, no Unknowns. “Oh fantastic, honeeeyyy.”
The last words came out as Drag was careening around the corner eagerly wanting to welcome me home. “That’s a good boy Drag.” His rough tongue lapped up the salt on my hand. “Emily told me you learned new things today. Good dragon.” It’s really unwise to scold a dragon on its first day of flight.
******
Thanks to each of you at Zero to Hero who have helped Drag take his first flight. What’s Next? Hopefully 2014 we will have several dragon books out . “Bringing Up Drag (raising a dragon in the 21st Century)” was really a fun offshoot of a 3 book fantasy series that is presently on the editing table. Again we appreciate your input and your visits. Drag whispered that he is sending a virtual tail wag to each of you wonderful WordPress people!!!!
Dragon Tails and Scales 