Stopped at a traffic light, this old building caught my eye. Could it be? After all these years, could it really be? Why, yes. There is the proof above the door.
Am I the only one who takes photos out her car window at stoplights? I must be, for, other drivers were looking at me quizzically. I couldn’t help myself, for there, carved in stone, was proof that there really is an ACME.
The light changed, a car’s horn tooted impatiently behind me. Beep Beep Off I went as my mind wandered to Wile E Coyote and his boxes of “things” with which to thwart Road Runner – all from the ACME company!
Did you watch cartoons growing up? Did you LOL at the inane coyote whose purpose in life seemed to be only to catch (and eat) the Road Runner? Did you run around the yard with your friends holding your nose and saying Beep Beep?
I had already wasted time looking up cartoons, one of which is posted below, absconded from YouTube (thank you whomever it was that posted it). It’s about seven minutes long if you should decide to channel your sophomoric self, but, I degrees. In my further wanderings, I came across this lawsuit filled on behalf of Mr. Coyote. I hope the Lectric Law group doesn’t mind me linking to them. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/fun13.htm
Beep Beep
I would’ve done the very same thing, Penny.
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I might have know that you are a “kindred camera” spirit, Andra. 🙂
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My Mom used to take photos thru the windshield, while MOVING, Penny! 🙂
I, too, love Wile E. Coyote, and would you believe, this ACME Company even has a “Super Stone Slinger” to rent out ( http://www.theacmecompany.com/#!liste-de-prix/cvl6 ) — the Roadrunner would be in heaven there, would he not?
Hope you escaped the wrath in Monday night/Tuesday morning’s storms. Our little town was not so fortunate, but we came through unscathed but for a few damaged geraniums.
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*we* as in my sister and I, personally . . . many others were less fortunate.
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Ha! I haven’t tried that as yet, Karen. You gave me a chuckle. Can you imagine seeing this from the rear view mirror of the driver in front?
Double ha!! . . . and that super stone slinger is only $115/hour with eight hours of slinging stones. Wile would be in stone heaven – until they all came back at him.
We escaped all that wind and rain and played pick-up-sticks on Wednesday, grateful that no trees feel – or worse. We were watching the storm head east and I was hoping you were okay, Karen. Was it the winds or was the town hit by a tornado?
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See: http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/tornado-confirmed-in-lagrange-county/26751146 Mitchell is a friend….he was clearing the tree that fell on his mother-in-law’s auto…just a block or so from our house. 🙂 Kim and I were very lucky, we had only overturned flower pots, damaged flowers, and a few small branches, etc. from the neighbor’s tree to clear from our yard. There was loss of life further across the county from here from trees that landed on homes.
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That is devastating to see and hear about, Karen, especially knowing that lives were lost. I have a fear of tornadoes and listen for those sirens. It doesn’t sound like they went off in your area.
I’m relieved to hear that you and Kim are okay, but, how hard that is to hear of deaths from this, and thank goodness Mitchell’s mother-in-law, nor anyone else, was in that car. As the storm approached the Chicago area, we were vigilant and did go our basement at one point, then listened as the meteorologists were tracking it into Indiana. WGN in particular keeps forecasting as storms progress eastward.
Here is to a calmer weekend with comfort and aid to those who are still cleaning up and to those in mourning. I appreciate you sending me the link.
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Penny, how funny! You must be very quick with your camera shots (or else the lights take a long time to change). I don’t recall this particular cartoon from my childhood but all the same was taken back into that distant land of the young.
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Our street lights can be very long, especially in Chicago, where car traffic is heavy. My camera was right on the seat, so, I didn’t have to go rooting for it.
If memory serves me right, you didn’t have television there during your childhood (which is why you have such a wonderful imagination while playing with the little one). This one was a staple cartoon for many of us during our childhood, with all that silliness. Those of us, of a certain age, know exactly what cartoon is being referenced when someone goes “beep, beep”. 🙂
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You are right. I had a TV free childhood and adolescence, and this was so precious. We had to make our own fun. (The little one is being brought up in a TV free house too.) But we did go to the Saturday matinees at our local picture theatre, and that’s when we saw the cartoons.
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I am feeling culturally alienated…..or at least culturally ignorant…. I have no idea what this post is about Penny ! I remember road runner and beep beep…but all else is lost on me. I do love the idea that it was prompted by something you saw at stop lights though…. only a true blogger, wishing to share ponderings with the world, takes photos at stop lights, knowing the resulting photo will be perfect for a post. Jx
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You are definitely NOT culturally ignorant, Janice. You just didn’t grow up in the late 50’s/early 60’s in the States, where we were all glued to the television cartoons on Saturday mornings.
In the episodes, Wile E Coyote would be intent on capturing the Road Runner – to eat. He would get all sorts of explosive devices, or other things, from the Acme Company to try to capture his prey. Each Acme item would backfire, always coming back at Wile, flattening him, turning him into an accordion, pancake, etc. and children of all ages would giggle. Many of us here remember the “beep beep” and the Acme Co. Acme for some became the catchall company name, me included, so, when I somehow saw the words on the building, well, you know the rest of the story. 🙂
Now, you’ve started a whole new sub-culture; true bloggers who navigate blogs while stationed at stop lights. Love it. Hope all is well in Caunnes. Look forward to more updates.
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I watched the RR cartoons but was grown up before I realized that it was ALWAYS the Acme Company …. probably I learned that fact from crossword puzzles.
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You are not alone on that count, Sallie. Acme is always showing up on crossword puzzles – and when I see it I always think “beep beep”. 🙂 Happy 4th as you travel about.
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i have a feeling there were lots of acme companies, and i wonder if they were named that so they’d show up early in the phone book?
i never was a cartoon fan. i wanted to like them, but i just couldn’t connect.
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I think you are right on Acme, Nan. Today’s phone books are lean with the advent of the internet, but, I’m sure that there are still companies that use A names to be first.
Have a great 4th – and I know you are enjoying those darling grandchildren.
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Love the Looney Tunes Cartoons. Acme was used in all of them, I believe, but most often for Road Runner and Coyote. My kids loved Looney Tunes as I did. (The old ones, not the newer ones.) They can still make each other laugh by quoting from the cartoons. We had no cable in the country so we had old VHS videos that were seen over and over. Sadly, some of the cartoons are no longer considered appropriate. They say Road Runner is too violent. (Really? Compared to the video games kids play now?) I guess there is some fear that a child may find an ACME anvil and then drop it from a cliff onto little brother’s head if they watch the cartoon. Do you think it will happen? Tee hee.
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I didn’t realize that, Janet. I’ll be more observant when I see them, now; on the lookout for more of Acme. Thank you for pointing that out. The old ones are really the best. It sounds like more fun to watch them as you did with your kids. You really made me laugh (OL) with your comment here. I can just hear your voice saying it. tee hee No. I don’t think it will happen, but, if I hear of an anvil accident, I’ll let you know. 🙂
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Hello Penny,
I was among the other readers who “missed” cartoons. Glad it’s never too late to catch up!
So good to know you are safe. I have been thinking of you guys.
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It is never too late, Marilyn. Hope you have had a nice fourth. A beautiful day here, today.
Thank you. Other than a lot of twigs and branches, we are fine, and grateful that was the worst of it.
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Sure! I watched the very same cartoons and still can enjoy a cartoon if I have the chance! And yes, I, too, take photos out the window! of the car! California law prohibits using our cell phones in our cars…I haven’t tested whether or not that means the camera! LOL! You had a good, and very quick eye to read ACME from the car! Hope you had a nice 4th, Penny!
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I just knew you were a window photographer, Debra (those sand dunes! 🙂 )
Illinois also prohibits using hand held cell phones in cars as well. I’m always stopped for a photo shoot – unless Tom is driving. This was actually from the camera and you should have seen the stares. Not sure if it was because I was taking a picture or using a real camera.
Yes. It was a nice, if quiet, 4th. Now, the grands are here and it is livelier.
Heard an interesting documentary yesterday on the California water wars and Mulholland. I felt very up-to-day thanks to your posts.
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I also take pix through the car windscreen – I did this today of a new building in a local town which is Art Deco in style. Well, it has tried to be Art Deco in style but, sadly, just misses, but is 100% better than the derelict building that was there before.
Some of my best shots of Dartmoor have been through the car windscreen (although I’ve not been driving, you’ll be relieved to hear!)
But have I missed the point? What is so special about ACME? Is it just that a lot of businesses have been called this in fiction and now you’ve actually spotted a real ACME? Ah, now I geddit! I’ve read your explanation to Penny …
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Glad to know I’m not the only one taking photos out the car windscreen, Margaret. That sounds like an interesting Art Deco building. 🙂 – and I’m pleased that you worked your way through Acme and all it entails. Thank you for commenting, Margaret, and stop by again soon.
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Oh, what a fun post, Penny, all triggered by your habit of carefully observing the world about you. I mainly remember the Road Runner cartoons because they were shown on British TV when our children were young and DH and I loved watching them, too. We didn’t have TV at home until I was a young teenager and the only cartoon characters I remember from back then were Popeye and his friends. 🙂
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“I yam what I yam” said Popeye the Sailor man. My dad especially enjoyed Popeye, Bluto, Olive Oyl. What a fun thing for me to recall from your comment. Thank you for that – and for your kind comments. It is June 6 here and I’m wondering about the ceremony there, hoping you and DH made it.
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