WHEREFORE ART THOU, MAGIC TWANGER?

THE TWANGER WAS FIRST HEARD circa 1945, when on a radio program called Smilin' Ed and His Friends, the sewer raccoon editor-to-be clung to the beautiful art deco standing-radio console to hear the funny childrens' program. On the show, a frog known as Froggy The Gremlin would hold forth with what was mysteriously called his magic twanger. Smilin' Ed would say at a critical time in the script, "PLUNK YOUR MAGIC TWANGER, FROGGY." (Ed's voice would rise when he pronounced the last syllable of Froggy.)

Then the listening children would hear the sound of a large spring, going B-o-i-n-n-g-g!!!!
Something magical would happen. Someone would appear or disappear. Raccoon readers qualified by age will know what is being talked about.

Of course we kids had to imagine what was happening. We could not see it. I always wondered what Froggy's magic twanger looked like. Around the time the YIBAWEAN SOCIETY was formed, in 1987, we finally got around to bringing what we imagined one would look like into being, using a wooden tool handle, (woops, chared the handle a little there!), made an oxacetylene-welded and brazed body, antenna mechanism of bent nails, and a 'boing'ing wire with forehead attachment. (Welding rods were used for those.)

THE MAGIC TWANGER

Attached herwith is a clip from the newsletter YIBAWE , Vol. I Issue I, Autumn 1987. And today, May 7, 2008, I still use the magic twanger whenever a nettlesome problem befalls.

I would hesitate to venture what that thing is worth now!