When I was but a young boy, I had an obsession with the funny pages.
I liked Calvin and Hobbes, Pearls Before Swine, Foxtrot, and countless others.
However, I always had the biggest appreciation for Garfield.
Even as a child, Garfield was the most relatable pop culture character I could find. I hated Mondays. I loved Lasagna. I loved my little teddy bear, just like Garfield loved his Pookie.
I would scrimp and save money all the time, and the first chance I got, I would beg my parents to take me to Barnes And Noble, so I could get a new Garfield collection book. Sometimes, when we went to the thrift stores, I would luck out and find Garfield books there too. Way cheaper.
I loved Garfield so much that I sent fan mail to the creator of Garfield, Jim Davis. I wrote a letter to him, but my memory is kinda foggy on what the contents were. Anyhow, he responded, and sent me an autographed print of Garfield and Odie with the text:
“Thanks!”
- Jim Davis
It is still my prized possesion.
