A Very Special Episode of "That Pinky Ring Shit"

Remember in the glorious 80's when sitcoms, and even cartoons, often soft-balled some social commentary or a PSA straight into the program? No? Well they did.

Often, these tidbits were stowed away at the end of the episode GI Joe style





or incorporated into the story- like on Facts of Life when Tootie's big brother had a few too many brewskies and insisted on driving the girls home.
Did they make the right decision? See For Yourself.

There were also some very dark moments like Dudley and Arnold's run in with The Bicycle Man on Diff'rent Strokes, uber creepy, even now.
These episodes were often billed as "Very Special" because they advised kids of different ways to protect themselves and/or to help others if necessary and All that 80's tv prepared me when I had to leap into action to save my co-worker.

One morning I noticed she was crying, and murmuring to herself at her desk. I had my own Case Of The Mondays so I wasn't too interested.

She's also nuttier than Mr. Peanut. But I was alarmed by the crying, murmuring AND sweating.

So I asked her if she was ok and she responded with "Oh my Jesus, somebody get this bicycle off of me" (fig. 1 it wasn't funny when it happened, trust me). That's when I noticed her normally pristine left eye had become all googly and droopy.

I asked her "Who is the President of the United States?' and she said "Pollock Pajamas" (see fig. 1) Pollock Pajamas is certainly not the Prez of these United States, so I figured she was either having a stroke or had gone all the way crazy.

I told her I was calling an ambulance and she made me promise that I wouldn't let them take her to Johns Hopkins as she whispered "they use to kill Black people in experiments there".

Apparently before she got too strokey (accepted medical terminology) she had called a family member, because they were already in the lobby waiting to escort her to the hospital.

I turned her over to them and waited for the ambulance to arrive because I wasn't sure if you could cancel ambulances with a call back like a cab or a pizza. Upon arrival, they tried to
forceescort me into the ambulance because they thought I was a loopy stroke victim.

They then realized I wasn't an old black lady and let me go, but I swear they looked disappointed. She may have been onto something with that Johns Hopkins thing. You can learn more about strokes and their symptoms Here.

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Exeunt!

P.S. She's ok. Yoooo Joe!