Do you collect things? Not all sorts of things that falls into hording, but that one particular item that comes in many shapes and colors that simply holds your interest. I used to collect baseball caps. You have probably heard of someone’s stamp collection. The Hollywood celebrity Jay Leno collects cars. I have a dear friend who collects frogs. Not live ones, but statues made of clay, ceramics, glass, wood, or cloth. They come in various sizes and colors, ranging from one inch high and one inch wide up to two feet high and one feet wide. My friend has a room that is decorated with them. Some are mounted on window seals, some on dresser tops, and one large one hangs on a wall.
My friend starting collecting frogs around 1970. Her husband had purchased a stone bird bath to be placed in the yard. A short time afterward, her mother suggested the bath needed some type of object in the middle and purchased the first frog which was made of concrete. That first purchase created a life-long passion resulting in a large collection of delightful artificial amphibians.
One statue of Mr. Frog has him wearing a top hat and tuxedo. Three other frogs sit in a row with one covering his eyes, the second covering his ears, and the third one covering his mouth. Still another one wears a Mexican sombrero. My friend enjoys displaying and discussing the collection. I have a fun time discussing frog issues with my friend such as; If a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his butt when he jumped. Also, at night, if you listen close, you can hear a group of frogs gambling. Oh yes, they are rolling the dice, “six-bits six-bits, quarter quarter.” Or, listening to a frog at sunset while it sits on a lily pad in a pond chirping, “knee-deep, knee-deep, knee-deep” when he knows darn well it’s over his head. Or, three fogs sitting in a row on a log and the first one chirps, “bud” and the second one chirps, “wise” and the last one chirps, “er.” Folks did you know the Budweiser Company has canned and delivered drinking water to communities that have suffered a weather-related disaster?
Then there is the story of the BIG MOUTH frog.
A BIG MOUTH frog went hopping down the road one day. Soon he came upon a rabbit. He said, “Hello rabbit, I’m a BIG MOUTH frog. I eat bugs and insects. What do you eat?”
“I eat peas and carrots,” replied the rabbit. The BIG MOUTH frog continued hopping on down the road and soon he met a fox and he said, “Hello fox, I’m a BIG MOUTH frog. I eat bugs and insects. What do you eat?”
“I eat rabbits,” said the fox. The BIG MOUTH frog again, went hopping on down the road and soon he met an alligator. “Hello alligator, I’m a BIG MOUTH frog. I eat bugs and insects. What do you eat?”
“I eat BIG MOUTH frogs,” said the alligator.
“Is that so?” said the frog.
Since the many visits and discussions about frogs with my friend, who is my wife’s aunt, my wife and I have conducted several scavenger hunts for frogs. We visit novelty shops, antique stores, and thrift stores. We delight in locating the amphibians and take great pleasure in presenting them to Miss Jeanie. Have frog will travel.
Walter Allen has a BA degree from Auburn University and is retired from the paper industry. He is a published author and a former President of the Laurens County Museum Association. He now lives in Tuscaloosa County in Alabama.
