My bologna has a lunchpail

The new preschooler brings a "b'lonely sandwich" in his lunchpail most days. He's a happy little eater, but it still brings a tear to my eye. Each time he says, "b'lonely," I remember watching the little petunia on Captain Kangaroo 's version of I'm a Lonely Little Petunia In an Onion Patch wiping her eyes with her leaf arms:

Of all the saddest words
That I have ever heard
The saddest is the story
Told me by a bird
He had spent about an hour
Chatting with a flower
and here ís the tale the flower told --

I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch, an onion patch, an onion patch
I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch and all I do is cry all day
Boo hoo, boo hoo
The air ís so strong it takes my breath away
I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch, oh won't you come and play with me

Strolling through Whole Foods last weekend I chanced upon a display of Onion Goggles for sale. Already having a set of swim goggles and being allergic to onions, I didn't check the price tag. I can't really visualize Julia Child wearing Onion Goggles. She would look like the French Fearless Fly Chef.



Only B' lonely springs next to my memory blanks' hit parade:

(r.orbison/melson)
Dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah
Ooh-yay-yay-yay-yeah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-wah
Only the lonely
Only the lonely (dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah)
Know the way I feel tonight (ooh-yay-yay-yay-yeah)
Only the lonely (dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah)
Know this feelin ain't right (dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah)
There goes my baby
There goes my heart
They're gone forever
So far apart
But only the lonely
Know whyI cry
Only the lonely
Dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah
Ooh-yay-yay-yay-yeah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-wah
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Know the heartaches I've been through
Only the lonely
Know I cried and cried for you
Maybe tomorrow
A new romance
No more sorrow
But thats the chance - you gotta take
If your lonely heart breaks
Only the lonely
Dum-dum-dum-dumdy-doo-wah

Baloney
slang for "nonsense," 1922, Amer.Eng. (popularized 1930s by N.Y. Gov. Alfred E. Smith), from earlier sense of "idiot" (probably influenced by blarney), usually regarded as being from bologna sausage, a type traditionally made from odds and ends, named for the city in Italy.
bologna
1850, variant of bologna sausage (1596), named for the city in Italy, formerly Bononia. See baloney.


© 2007 Nancy L. Ruder