Junk Monkey

I was walking the dog and found this broken plastic hook on the edge of the football oval. What in the heck was something like this doing here? Turned upside down, I thought it would make a good nose for an art doll. I put it in my pocket and kept walking, eyes to the ground. I found a red bottle cap that would make a good hat. I found a green one - that could be the head. Some frayed white cotton from a discarded bandage - hair. I did another round of the footy oval and back at home I assembled a face. It looked like a monkey with a hat. Cool.

 The next day, the dog and I took a different route and I collected good junk for my monkey body and limbs.

He’s a lovable tramp, just hanging around.

As I was making him I remembered a saying from my youth. My friend Elana Floyd liked to say it, something like, “I know I’m okay, ’cause God don’t make junk.”

I did an Internet search and found the original quote, attributed to the great jazz singer, Ethel Waters:

I know I’m somebody aCause God don’t make no junk.

Perhaps they were song lyrics.

Anyway, this monkey IS junk but he’s not the type of dude who really cares. He has a certain air of confidence and a rakish style, with his hat and tie. He has value to me because I enjoyed making him.

We use the resources that come to hand in order to create what we can in life. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

This post relates to Art Doll number 17, Junk Monkey, March 08, by Stacey Apeitos.)