A Fractured Fairy Tale

For some reason I was in Encino, who remembers why. Shopping? Oh, I don’t remember, that was a long time ago. Anyway, I popped into a quiet café for lunch, and whom do I meet up with, but my old friend Edward Everett Horton. We used to work together on TV you know.1

“Ed”, I said, “how nice to see you. May I sit with you?”2

“Of course BJM, of course. Long time no see. How is Frostbite Falls?”3

“Same as ever, which is why I’m in LA, trying to get warm.”4

“That must be the reason for that fur coat then, eh?”5

“Well, yah, I guess,” I said, somewhat puzzled.6

He laughed at his own joke.7

He had a small pile of books in front of him. Some were paperbacks, others with dust covers; all filled with fairy tales. He was studying the covers with great care.8

I ordered my coffee and watercress sandwich, and then asked him what he was doing.9

“I’m trying to pick out a suitable script for the next segment of Fractured Fairy Tales. We need a good one as soon as possible. Hey, maybe you can help BJM? Wanna’ try?”10

Ok. Ok. Just tell me what to do.”11

So, over my lunch, I love watercress, I read through all those books. Each story was worse than the last. Eventually I put the books down and confessed, “I can’t find anything I like.”12

“Oh, that’s quite all right. I’ve found exactly what I want. Thanks for helping.” He held up a book, one that I had discarded as unsuitable. It had a majestic cover, a great masterpiece of the book illustrator’s art. The story its self was blah.13

“But that one is terrible,” I protested.14

“No, no BJM, this is perfect for Fractured Fairly Tales. Just look at that cover. Its perfect, its brilliant, so enjoyable.”15

“But”, I continued to protest, “you know the old saying; Never judge a…..” He didn’t let me finish.16

Holding up a hand, and smiling, he gathered up the books and put them in his shopping bag. “Bullwinkle,” he concluded; “I know a much better quote.17

“Never Judge a Cover by its Book.”18