Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

Small children can have some quite irrational fears. When I was a small child, I was no exception.

For example, when I was about four, I never liked to go upstairs without first turning on the landing light. This was not out of some belief that I might trip and fall in the darkness. No, it was because if I ventured upstairs in the dark, I might be attacked by Cuddles, the furry orange monkey created by Keith Harris.

See what I mean? Totally irrational, not to mention slightly loopy.

In a similar vein, I never liked to use cassette decks on the grounds that the tape might snarl and startle me. Personally, I blame this on my Dad for buying cheap cassettes from Boots.

Back in the day, I was also a big fan of The Kenny Everett Show on Radio 2 (what do you mean, "that explains something"? How dare you...). However, I never "got" the genius of his BBC television show until many years later (i.e. until I reached twenty-six).

One aspect of the show which I used to shield my eyes from were the Maurice Mimer segments; Cuddly Ken's homage to Marcel Marceau, complete with magic marker. Again, a totally irrational fear of a bizarrely-dressed scouser who could draw things that came alive.

Actually, maybe that one isn't completely irrational after all.

(Oh, and the significance of "Wachet Auf"? Well, this was the theme tune to said Maurice Mimer sketches, albeit in heavily-synthesised form.)