My mind does wander... in the most unholy directions. Yet with a certain predictability. I know that on days such as today I will find a comfort and harkening back to childhood as we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” at the beginning of Mass. Then (within about fifteen seconds) my mind will have bounced to the Church of the Redeemer in Wood Falls Kansas and the handyman telling the new pastor to face his congregation before the choir runs out of “Holy,Holy.” And back ‘home’ again.

“Angel in my Pocket” was supposedly cinematic death for Andy Griffith. (Well, I’ve heard he is quite well received in that new “Waitress” movie, but the days are long past when I can hop on my bike and ride to the Rivoli to see any movie I please. So it may be a good year before I see “Waitress.” Shrek III and the 3rd Pirates have, even with gas station candy and budget matinee tickets done some mayhem to my budget) But it is still one of my favorites. It now does have an IMDB page, though sadly inadequate. It has never been released on video - though Embot was kind enough to find a pirated DVD - complete with Disney Channel bug in corner - to replace the homemade VHS recording that we played to death. It is a sweet and funny movie. A pious little slice of small town life that I now see as reminiscent of the life that I did not truly appreciate when it was mine. On those afternoons when we’d jump on our bikes and catch the whatever was playing at the Rivoli.

The cast is the ultimate who’s who of “that guy” character actors. (Andy Griffith ,Lee Meriwether ,Jerry Van Dyke ,Kay Medford, Henry Jones, Edgar Buchanan, Gary Collins, Parker Fennelly, Jack Dodson, Elena Verdugo , Margaret Hamilton...) And the quotes...the quotes are now embedded in the family lexicon. The IMDB needs to flesh out the quote page. “As soon as the school bill is passed” is a phrase of the depth and utility as “Someday - and that day may never come ...” and deserves its proper documentation. *

* (To be honest, when discussing family finances, “As soon as the school bill is passed” is interchangeable with “Someday - and that day may never come...”