Love On A Rooftop and Grape Jelly

Sometimes we really are dopes! Everywhere we look, the words “green” and “sustainability” filter into our consciousness…as well they should. We tend to think of ourselves as being superior to generations past, who we tend to think of as polluters. There may be some truth to that, but it’s not the whole story.
 
Retailers, listen up: I have a million-dollar idea for you! Okay, I didn’t actually think it up, but give me some credit.
 
Last night, I was watching the implausible 1968 TV sit-com “Love on A Rooftop,” starring the very cute Peter Duel as Dave, and even cuter Judy Carne (pre-“Laugh In”) as Julie. They’re a young, optimistic, newly married couple trying to get by on his miserly starting architect's salary of $68.50 a week. All they can afford to rent is an old storeroom (with no windows) on top of a high rise (no one else would rent it). By the way, it’s like a 30-story high rise with no elevator, but who cares, it’s the ‘60s, and they are young and in love, and, more importantly, happen to have access to the roof...hence “Love On A Rooftop,” where Julie uses the skylight as a table when she has company, and she hangs her laundry out to dry on the residents' TV antennas (very green).  Did I mention that the rooftop overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge?
 
Okay, so Dave is eating his breakfast when is overbearing father-in-law drops in and spots him eating peanut butter for breakfast, and bellows, “Why are you eating peanut butter…for breakfast?” “I eat peanut butter and jelly every morning,” replies Dave. “But, why?” protests his father-in-law. Dave, with his dimpled smile, plaintively states, “Well, we need the glasses, and Julie wants to complete the set!” The father-in-law is none too pleased that his baby (Julie) is drinking out of peanut butter and jelly glasses.
 
Like a repressed memory, the flood gates open, and I recall that when I grew up (in 1968, I was 11 years old), we always recycled our peanut butter and jelly glasses. We never threw them away. We kept them. They were not made of non-recyclable, benzene-ridden plastic with a screw-on lid; they were recyclable drinking glasses with a pop off cap. They were decorated with colorful prints of daises, “The Flintstones,” “Batman” and the Presidents of The United States (there were only 36 at the time). So not only did you get a jar of Welch’s grape jelly or Skippy peanut butter, but you had a reusable glass (for free!).  Less landfill! Less carbon footprint! Brilliant!
 
So food manufacturers, give consumers an incentive to buy your product, which is sitting quietly next to your competitors--give us free glasses. In today’s economy, who wouldn't want a pretty drinking glass, for free? Help us to recycle, reuse, renew. Okay, skip the corny old-fashioned commercial ties ins; instead, have some designer do a limited-edition jar. I’d pay twice the amount for a Burberry Plaid peanut butter glass, and maybe three times the amount for an Alexander McQueen grape jelly jar.

Ka-Ching! That’s the sound of a happy customer going home with your product!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Comments

[Ron Knoth]

Dear Suzanne,

If a bootleg copy isn't available on EBay or Amazon, try www.ioffer.com which is a terrific website for the budget conscience. Everything's pre-priced, so you can make an immediate purchase, or you can contact the seller and say "I offer...." and they can choose to accept your bid or not.

If all else fails I'll loan you my copy, but note, you get what you pay for, the color is faded beyond belief. But benefit, you get all the groovy cigarette ads for Salem. (Cough! Cough!)

Ron

[Suzanne aka Punk Glam Queen]

I would love to see "Love on a Rooftop" again! I want to know where you found it? On DVD at some obscure DVD purveyor?
Cheers!
Suzanne
PS I gave birth to Methuselah. Birthdays suck. Got one coming up. I think I need to purchase very expensive shoes to make up for growing another year older, non?

[Ron Knoth]

Dear Suzanne,

No one is as old as me, Methuselah is younger...I swear. That being said, where do you stand on "Love On A Rooftop"?

PS: check out my website...www.thebespokenfor.net

[Suzanne aka Punk Glam Queen]

Ron, I think I am indeed the same age... I'm an old bat and proud of it non-botoxed wrinkles and all! Yes, I do remember those slimy shrimp cocktails! I'm allergic to shrimp so I always found them very sinister when my mother would buy them. Ha!
Cheers!
Suzanne
PS I'm only sweet when the mood strikes me, perhaps Punk Glam Ghoul is more fitting?

[Ron Knoth]

Dear Suzanne,

"If you are as old as I my dear, and I hope that you never are..." From Pippin by Steven Schwartz...You'll also recall that supermarkets used to sell slimy shrimp cocktail in these little recyclable glasses that were perfect for fresh squeezed orange juice, or those bean growing projects you did in grade school, where you took a bean, and rolled up wet paper towel and stuck the bean between the glass and the towel to see the roots sprout.

PS: Punk Glam Queen is sweet!

[Suzanne aka Punk Glam Queen]

This is a great idea, I've often said to my daughter (who drinks out of Josie and the Pussycats and the Archies Welch's glasses) that I wished they'd bring them back. Later the fast food companies got in on it too. There were also lovely sour cream glasses. They were so pretty and a great shape to reuse as serving pieces. I know it would be costly to reinstate this idea, but as a consumer, I would definitely pay more to have a reusable glass rather than those plastic monstrosities! (I might possibly faint if they did indeed come up with McQueen grape jelly jars! Once recovered, I'd buy a case.)
Cheers!
Suzanne