One hundred years ago today, Harry Houdini died. Of course, being only in, ahem, midlife, I never saw his escapes or other tricks. When I was growing up, however, some of the adults in my life could recall seeing his performances. They even said someone “pulled a Houdini” when someone wiggled their way out of an awkward situation.
If it isn’t ironic or fitting (depending on your point of view) enough that he died on Halloween, I couldn’t help but to notice, as I rode today, how many people—kids and adults alike—were wearing “prisoner” costumes: horizontally striped pullover tops with an inmate number on the chest and pants in matching stripes. I don’t think any correctional institution, at least here in the US, still outfits their inmates that way. But it still seems to be a staple in movies, cartoons and TV—and in the Monopoly game.
I can understand the appeal of Houdini’s performances: Many people feel there is “no escape” from one thing or another: school, their families, their jobs or life in general, at least as they know it.
On one hand, bicycling has always been an escape. On the other, it’s allowed me to enter spaces, whether physical, mental or spiritual, I couldn’t have accessed otherwise.
No comments:
Post a Comment