Why I Write, Part 28

Toro (Japanese for tuna belly, as my girlfriend was quick to point out) is a Canadian men's magazine that launched in April of this year. It has a front-of-the-book squib entitled AWOL. "What ever happened to pubic hair?" asked AWOL in the inaugral issue. The second issue, which was published this week, already finds its AWOL section AWOL.

In early April, my editor at Toro asked me to pitch her a breezy, where-is-it-now item. ("We were hoping for an object, an article of clothing, etc. for AWOL that has a summer feel").

Mine included:

* Streaking. This used to be really popular in the 1970s. McLuhan even said it was an art form with political and activist overtones. Ray Stevens wrote that song about it in 1974, which came out a few days after some guy streaked at the Oscars.

* Roller Skates (you know, the old skool kind that were basically running shoes with wheels).

* The Kool-Aid pitcher. Didn't he used to bash through walls and surprise kids with refreshing liquid? Where is he now? I don't see him around much anymore.

* The Superball. Those really bouncy rubber balls.

* Pogosticks.

* Shark tooth necklaces (popular during the time of Jaws).

Two weeks later my editor emailed her thanks for my pitches. Unfortunately, none were suitable. At the risk of being a spoiler, future issues of Toro will ask, "What ever happened to the decent single guy?" and "What ever happened to the SkyDome?"

The SkyDome?