On June 7, 1984, I wrote what very well may be my first-ever blog entry. I was seven years old and had attended Donald Duck’s 50th Birthday Party with my Dad, who was a reporter for The Sacramento Union. We flew aboard a chartered PSA Airlines 727-214A dubbed Duck One that sported a giant logo of Donald for the occasion. According to my blog entry from the day, Chip and Dale were the “drivers that drove the plane.” If memory serves me right, we flew to Washington and Oregon, which seemed like far-off strange and wonderful lands to a wide-eyed seven-year-old. I felt like a rock star, sitting in the row behind Disney greats Clarence Nash (the voice of Donald for 50 years) and Bill Justice (the animator who created Thumper and Chip and Dale). Bill Justice drew me a personalized picture of Donald (but neglected to sign it).
The trip was unforgettable and a special part of my childhood.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Jonty // May 20, 2005 at 10:22 am
I’ve known you since college, Gabe. That makes it nearly a decade! An interesting thing I’ve noticed is your handwriting. At first, I thought I was looking at the kind of note you used to pin to my door in college… then I realized it was written when you were 7. I guess some things never change, eh? =)
-J
2 Sarah // May 23, 2005 at 4:10 pm
Explain to me why Donald’s 50th was celebrated in Washington & Oregon?
3 Phil // May 23, 2005 at 10:18 pm
How cool that you still have that!
4 Gabe A_nderson // May 26, 2005 at 11:23 am
Excellent question, Sarah, but it beats me. I was just a 7-year-old along for the ride!
Maybe the duck that originally inspired the idea for Donald was from the Northwest?