The YEAR of the [FIRE]PIG

[Otto]

The YEAR of the [FIRE]PIG

As if the Year of the FireDog, the militant dog of the Hundstadt, wanted to
go on forever the transition – on this occasion "speakable" – to the New
Year occurs at almost the latest possible time when the FirePig, like
Frieda, that very fat pink pig pal with blinking long eyelashes accompanying
Slothrop westwards through Mecklenburg, shows up and chases off the dog! No
offence, Pugnax – you just showed up a little too late but will get your
chance in twelve years.

Yes, yes, the pig seems to know where she's going and "You'll never go wrong
with a pig!" So be it for 355 days from February 17th 2007 to February 7th
2008: "A pig is a pal, who'll boost your morale!" Yet as we learn in ATD
there can be two sides to all things; doubles, twins, refractions,
bilocations. Then for every jolly pig there is that opposite risk of GREED,
doper's or otherwise . . . so "when you're out there feelin' fine" take care
of that greed or "it will turn you into a swine." Just that Gross Suckling
never satisfied, always wanting more.

Which (Pynchon) Pig in 2007 -- or a combination and interchanging of all?:
to start with Frieda (everyone's darling Miss Piggy?!); the aardvark,
Erdschweinhöhle, totem animal of the Schwarzkommando guarding their sacred
mandala; young (and old) Porky Pig aspirants with anarchistic bomb fantasies
or just hep Porky Pig tattoos on their stomachs; Slothrop himself (or any
other Fool) as Plechazunga holding off the Viking invaders and saving the
village – is there a Pig Hero, pig myths beside the swine herd?! – or still
in costume as Porky in the garbage bin? Rocketpig, perhaps?!

We even have our newly found Tubby, pig stage actor in Greenwich Village –
wonder what he'll be up to further on down the line. All great candidates
for the "Pig of the Year 2007 identity", but none can outdo that freckleface
kid from Albert Lea, Minnesota, Seaman 'Pig' Bodine (rimes with swine and
not with spleen!) who can be both a filthy swine but also the greatest pal
on Earth: why saving Roger Mexico with wit and humour from being the
Überraschungsbraten (roast human pork, I presume) at the Kruppfest is a true
example Pig allegiance.

Let us fight off that inner swine and if not become Chums of Chance, at
least Pals of Peace in 2007. May our pink companions, human or animal, keep
chasing away all forces of danger --and now a loud grunting OIIIIIIINK to
inaugurate the year!

Card courtesy of Marca van Wassenaar
Words (for what they're worth) by Douglas Kløvedal Lannark