Spo-fans recall (or learning now) I’ve had a long time project since junior high school of creating a map consisting of every mythical legendary and imaginary person, place, or thing there is (or never was). I keep a running list handy so when I think of something I  can jot it down for a later evaluation for entry into “The Timeless Lands of Erewhon”.  “Uncle Wiggly” was recently brought to my attention,  which got me thinking about this character and his cohorts.  He was a rabbit (on crutches) in a series of books with many companions.  I remember Uncle Wiggly not from books but from a board game.

As a young boy I was disturbed by the game for it gave me the heebie-jeebies.  As a player you had to get by several nasty characters on your way to the goal of visiting Dr. Possum. One particular character evoked the most anxiety.  He was a tall, dark, stick-like character like that of a crane. He had a long piercing beak and he seemed to have elements of a black widow spider– or so my memory goes.  I haven’t thought of him in ages, but he remember he haunted me in my youth; he would sometimes show up in my dreams. I recall avoiding the game knowing I would have to see him and get past him to proceed on my journey.  To a six year old this was major impediment.

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Thanks to my recent research into Uncle Wiggly I came across a photo of the game board. You can see the demon is in the upper left hand corner of the board.  Notice to you have to go into his mouth with its piercing sharp tongue and out his back-end. The Freudians would have a hay-day analyzing my six year old terror on the topic!

Thanks to Wikipedia I have learned it’s name:  Skeezicks.*

skeezicks

Skeezicks! I have used this word all my life and still do. I thought it was a generic word but apparently it originates from the Uncle Wiggly books?I often call Harper ‘Skeezicks’ so she won’t prick up her ears at her name being said: “I am taking Skeezicks for a walk”. Imagine! All this time my inner demon has been lurking like a hidden squatter in my house and psyche (as subconscious complexes do) !

I plan on reading ‘The Uncle Wiggle’ books  at least the books; I want to eject the nasty bird from my psyche. Last night I did NOT have bad dreams after all this insight. I take this as a good sign the fellow has been discovered and rendered harmless.  There is nothing like exposing the complexes for the shams they are to make them innocuous (think of Dorothy et. al. when they realize there is a man behind the curtain).  I feel good to have faced another childhood demon and come out well.

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*This photo from the internet is marvelous from a Jungian point of view. Uncle Wiggly as Ego is having his house (Pscyhe) invaded by the Skeezicks the Shadow-Complex.  Skeezicks looks powerful while Uncle W (with his rheumatism and candy cane crutches) looks too frail to fight. He is going to have to put up a pretty stiff battle to eject S from his household – or at least get him to behave. Happily Wiggly has a Friend complex with him to help him.