By The Reverend Mrs. Silence DoGood
Dear Editor,
“Pretzels don’t grow on Marigold plants.”
As the mother of two children, I used to say this to myself when they came up with new ideas. “Mom, I want to be an Olympic cyclist” when they didn’t have a bicycle. “Mom, I want to win a Gold Medal for swimming” when they could barely float. I encouraged my children to develop their natural talents, but I also knew that I had to be realistic. I had to understand those things which could be possible and those which could not. Growing pretzels on a marigold plant is not possible.
Toby, my son, started being a model for the US International Agency in NYC when he was young. While there one day he saw a commercial being shot and thought that the actor did not move his hands enough. He suggested specific hand gestures for the actor which were filmed. The studio told him that his suggestions were great. Shortly thereafter my husband Willie and Toby decided that Toby could be a “Hand Choreographer” and that they should start a company called Ad-Vantage LLC. I immediately thought of pretzels but agreed to it because it would encourage father and son time.
Ever since Toby was six, he mimicked turkeys and other animals especially when he was stressed. One day while waiting for his photo shoot, he was aggressively “turkeying” and was seen by a French mime troupe. “He is unique!” said Manon as she also fell in love with Toby’s other animals. She asked Toby if he would work with the troupe to create a new show called Noah’s Ark. He said yes but they were leaving for France in a few days. Manon and her husband offered to fly Toby to Paris and pay him for two weeks if he would work with them. I first thought of pretzels but after a family meeting I agreed that he should go.
Recently at the dedication of our new church, my parishioners and friends asked why Toby didn’t attend. His sister Sara officiated service in the Roundhouse and I officiated the service in the Glass Chapel. I simply told everyone that he was working. If they pressed the issue, I said that he was working abroad.
Toward the end of Toby’s two-week paid time in Paris. Manon and her husband Gabriel wanted to visit his grandmother in Bruges, Belgium. She owned a small lace making business and they invited Toby to join them. Toby loved watching the two incredibly old ladies braiding and twisting numerous threads wound onto small bobbins to make lace. That is when his idea struck. He was going to make lace shields the size of a hand with game, movie, or internet figures on them. These would be sewn onto a person’s coat, sweater or pants. Everyone could have their own traditional yet modern identifier.
Willie, Toby, and I sat in the parlor of the parsonage to learn about his trip. He was so excited to tell us about how young, and even older people, would love wearing a piece of traditional lace with a modern character on it. Gabriel’s grandmother said he could stay with her while he was learning how to make lace. Pretzels on a Marigold plant screamed in my head.
Then, thankfully, the outside forces came into play. Mr. Charlie Jacobs, Toby’s agent, called and said that he had a wonderful opportunity for Toby. Animal Feed, Inc. created a new bird feed without shells so the bird eats the whole food without making a mess inside or outside the cage. They are planning a national rollout for their launch, and he thought Toby would be great for their commercial.
Common sense does not come easily but luckily it prevailed. When Charlie told Toby about the commercial, he became extremely interested in it. So that’s how and what birds eat! Toby was also interested in the financial rewards of the commercial.
I put my pretzel fear away when I learned Toby got the commercial.
Amen.
The Reverend Mrs. Silence DoGood
Senior Pastor
Executive Director
President
Chairman
Choir Master (part-time)
The First Church of God’s Love
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