Howdy Doody and Me

I was only five years old when I was first introduced to Howdy Doody, a wooden puppet with a continuous smile who was manipulated by an invisible puppeteer who the peanut gallery of children, parents and television audience could never see. Howdy Doody would seem real to all during the taping of his show which shown in black and white and kept my eyes wide-eyed not wanting to miss any of the antics going on with the mc, Buffalo Bob, and Clarabell, the mischievous clown who beeped his horn everytime he wanted attention which was annoying to all who watched, especially Buffalo Bob who eyed him like a hawk making sure he didn't steal the show from Howdy Doody or any of their guests which Clarabell would ignore, misbehaving like a spoiled child and sulking when reprimanded by Buffalo Bob and not like my Howdy Doody who was on his best behavior, especially before his young audience and I as we sang, 'It's Howdy Doody Time,' the national anthem of the peanut gallery making us so proud that we had a friend in Howdy Doody, the wooden puppet.