#dooka dooka | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

allthewritem0ves · 1 year

Text

Green Eggs and Ham: Extra Bit(e)s - Looka

Part 7 of the Extra Bit(e)s series

Atop the Wall

(takes place before season 1)

Ever since he was nine, Looka had been spending his spare time on top of the wall that separated his home nation of Yookia from their neighbors in Zookia.

He first went up here when his playgroup dared him to.

“I don’t know. It’s illegal”, he said apprehensively.

“Oh, come on, Looka. Just go up and come down again. It’ll only take a second”, said his friend Flynn.

He looks up at the wall. At his height, it seemed ten times taller than it probably actually was.

“Hmm…I’m not sure. Why don’t you do it?”

“Because if I get caught, then I’d get in serious trouble. You, though, are the Dooka’s son. No one’ll question it.”

Looka scans the wall for easy climb points. It was perfectly smooth except for the willowoak tree right smack in the middle.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep watch. Any guards come by, I’ll let you know.”

“How?”

Flynn mumbles something that sounded like ‘I don’t know’. “I’ll just yell, I guess.”

Looka couldn’t think of an alternative, so he began his ascent.

Willowoak bark is very grippable, so it was pretty easy for an amateur like him. He figured climbing a tree was no different from climbing a pile of stuffed animals, but that was a stretch, even to himself. On the way up, he passed a squail, who perched on a branch, staring at him with sparkling, beady eyes. It seemed to be inquiring why a boy was climbing this tree. And the Dooka’s son by chance as well. Looka often theorized that the Yooks and Zooks conflict was so notorious, even the animals were aware of the fact.

Finally, he reached the top. The wall was wide enough that its peak also worked as a footpath. He peered over the other side and saw the Zooks.

Now, Looka had always been taught that Zooks were some of the worst people on the face of the planet; always described as “dirty”, “snake-like”, “treacherous” and anything else along those lines.

But in his immediate line of sight, nothing seemed to prove that fact.

He could see buildings, homes and, much farther back, the Dookess’s castle. People and vehicles wove in between the structures down on the streets. He even saw some kids playing hacky-sack, hopscotch and four-square outside. Part of him wanted to climb down the other side and ask if he could join them.

But he knew his parents would disapprove. He didn’t want his mom to call him by his full title in front of whatever Zook officer arrested him or, Seuss forbid, the Dookess of Zookia herself. Besides, he already felt like he was breaking at least thirty different Yookian laws just being up here, maybe more if his parents were really mad at him.

“LOOKA!”, Flynn yelled out.

The Yookian prince lost his train of thought. Realizing where he was, he looked down and saw Flynn pointing at an approaching guard. Looka quickly climbed down the tree.

“What were you doing, Your Highness?”, the guard asked. “Wait til your mom and dad hear about this…”

“No!”

“I’m sorry. This is just very unprecedented. Everyone knows the wall is off limits; it’s there for a reason. If word got out that the Crown Dooka was climbing it, more people will try it and the Zooks will hate us even more.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“So, if you tell me the truth, I won’t tell your parents. Why were you up there?”

“Umm…” Looka shifted from his heels to his toes. He even glanced at Flynn for some backup. His friend just shrugged. Finally, he said, “A squail…took my…uh…” He knew the guard wasn’t buying it, but he finished anyway. “My…pin! Yeah, that’s it! But it got away and I couldn’t find it.”

Thankfully, his story worked. The guard just walked on after giving a nod.

“Phew. That was close. Sorry I almost got you in trouble, Looka”, said Flynn.

“It’s okay. I actually kinda like it up there.”

——

He never told anyone else. He never even told Flynn it. Since that day, Looka continued to sneak up the wall and spend his free time there, reading books and whatnot to pass the time. The tree even had a little nook for him to rest on.

Then, four years later, on one fateful day, he noticed a girl with red hair climbing the wall herself.

Glad that he had a fellow rebel, not yet knowing that she sided with the Zooks and that she’d be the love of his life, he greets her with a neighborly, “Hey.”

“I'm sorry”, said E.B. “I know I shouldn’t be up here…”

The Dookess of Yookia

(takes place after season 2)

Looka lied on his bed, holding a plushie in his arms, legs swinging behind himself as he anxiously watched the phone on his nightstand. The summer days dragged on in Ookia, which he could tell you from experience. He felt like he should be outside, making new Zookian friends. But there was a certain someone he was waiting for a call from: E.B. Weebie Am-I.

It shouldn’t have taken so long. She and her family departed only a few days ago. Looka tried to rationalize it as ‘maybe she was still settling back in’ or ‘she’s preoccupied with her baby brother’. Either way, he hoped that there was a spot with his name on it in her schedule.

But now, he had something else to take care of today. His mother was coming back home.

“Mr. Looka?”, his butler Hank asked, knocking on the door. “Your mother’s here.”

“I’ll be right out.” Looka gets up and walks out the door.

——

Coming in through the front door of the palace was his beloved mother. Her husband was happily embracing her, looking pretty unprofessional in front of his inferiors. A smile crossed Looka’s face.

He says, “Hi, Mom”, as he reaches the foyer.

“Oh, Looka!” She kneels down and hugs her son. For a brief moment, Looka felt like he was a toddler again. The same way he felt after his grandfather died (his father went into comatose for days and, in his own grief, Looka only wanted his mother’s comfort). Obviously, of course, this was a happy moment. Looka was thankful to see his mom again.

“I really missed you”, he says, his voice cracking.

“I missed you too, Looka.” She loosens her hold on him and rests her hands on his shoulders. “Now, you, me and your father have a lot of catching up to do.”

——

Over dinner, Looka and his dad took turns telling their halves of the story, which they affectionately dubbed How the Outsiders Saved Ookia. The Dookess listened intently.

Looka didn’t want to be straightforward about her, but just couldn’t speak in code. He was so excited about E.B. that he wanted the whole wide world to know. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but you’d know if you felt that way towards someone.

His mom took special note of that. Looka noticed her smug smile. He subsequently blushed.

“You like her, don’t you, son?”, the Dookess asked.

If his face could turn redder, it probably did. “Yeeeeaaahh.” He really dragged out that ‘yeah’.

His parents exchanged glances. “You know about this?”

“Yes”, the Dooka answered.

No one said anything for a solid minute. The silence was broken when the Dookess started laughing.

“Would you look at that? Our boy’s in love!”

“Mom, please.” He was pretty sure his face looked like watermelon flesh.

“You’re not in trouble, Looka. I’m proud of you!”

He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t even look her in the eye.

“And you helped end the war? That’s incredible too!”

Then it dawned on Looka that he hadn’t brought up that he was in jail for a short while. Probably best not to ruin the good momentum they had going so far.

——

After the meal, Looka returned to his bedroom, still waiting for the phone to ring. Then his mom came in.

“Hey, sweetie.”

“Oh, hi, Mom.” He barely turned his head to look at her.

She walked over and sat next to him. “That girl means a lot to you, doesn’t she?”

Looka blushed again. “You have no idea, Mom.”

“Oh, I actually do. Your father and I would talk every night when we were teens. One night, he even snuck out and came to my window and sang to me.”

“No way”, Looka said with disbelief and a laugh. “Dad sang to you?”

“Yep. Despite being of royalty, he was really modest, never liked talking about himself unless I asked a direct question.”

“It’s funny. I never told E.B. that I was of royalty until I brought her back here. Luckily, she liked me before I told her.”

His mother did a closed-mouth chuckle. “Sounds like a keeper to me.”

Finally, the phone rang.

Looka wasted no time and picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Looka”, said E.B. on the other end.

“E.B.!”, he cried out.

“I’ll leave you two to it”, his mother said.

Daniel the Cocker-spaniel

(takes place during the epilogue of CWTW)

So soon after touching down in Glurfsburg, Looka noticed his dad’s pilot Cedric waving to him.

“Mr. Looka! How was your trip?”

“Very…different, Cedric.” He didn’t say more. After all, he technically told the truth.

“Good, sir. Your parents have a surprise waiting for you back home.”

“Before we go, can I say goodbye first?”

“Of course.”

Looka turned on his heel to face his companions. First, he hugged E.B. “Sorry I won’t be around for New Year’s. But I’m happy to have spent Christmas with you.”

“So did I, Looka”, she says back. Upon loosening their embrace, he just went for the kiss, pecking her lips with his.

“That was my New Year's kiss to you.”

The girl giggled.

Then Looka respectfully shook the hands of her parents. “Thanks for the invite, Mr. and Mrs. Am-I. I had fun…” In a lower voice he adds, “Outside of all the revenge plots, that is.”

“Oh, it’s all water under the bridge now, Looka”, said Guy, waving his hand in a pish-posh way of dismissal.

“Yeah. I'm glad you had fun”, Michellee said.

He smiles and turns his attention to Guy Jr. “Hope you liked your first Christmas, little Guy.”

The baby shrieked and cooed excitedly.

He bid his farewells to Grinch and Pam (who still hadn’t bothered to fix their hair), gave Sam a hug and got a vigorous handshake from Gluntz.

“Good luck with the baby, you two”, Looka says to her and Sam.

“Thanks, buddy”, said Sam.

——

Whatever it was called when you just got off a blimp, then took flight again in a chopper and now you feel sick was exactly what Looka had been afflicted with.

It was like whiplash, but not quite. He promptly passed out in his seat.

In his slumber, Looka dreamt of the time and E.B. sat on the couch, proclaiming their mutual love to each other. He remembered he was softly singing Waterloo Sunset (he knew the others were trying to sleep). He couldn’t entirely remember what happened after in the real world, he began to subconsciously fill in the gaps: E.B. floating out of his grasp. A funnel of stars shooting around him. Trying to shout out but finding his voice was gone. The final lyrics of Waterloo Sunset playing on loop.

Waterloo sunset's fine, Waterloo sunset's fine…

And just like last time, he was woken up.

“Mr. Looka! We’re home!”, Cedric told him.

——

Once in the palace, he was hugged tightly by his mother, who then peppered him with kisses.

“You’re back, son!”

Hank came to the door and carried his bag upstairs. As he lifted it, a thick silver device with a screen fell out onto the floor.

“Uh-oh. I’m so sorry, sir”, the butler said.

“It’s okay, Hank.” He reached down and picked it up.

“What is that?”, the Dookess asked.

Looka smiled. “Just a present from E.B. It’s a digital photo album she made herself.” He demonstrates it by turning it on. The songs E.B. implemented on it were Waterloo Sunset, Endless Love and Hold Back the River. The pictures included, but weren’t limited to, them getting medals, E.B.’s thirteenth birthday party, at the karaoke club in Glurfsburg and two more he added himself: a selfie in Whoville and a group picture of themselves, the Am-I’s, I-Am’s and their Whoville friends.

“My my. That’s incredible!”, his mother complimented. “Well, your father and I got you something too.”

“Really? Where is it?”

“In the study.”

As Hank continued taking his things upstairs, Looka followed his mother into the study. There, his father stood with a cheesy grin on his face, hiding something behind the sofa.

“Hi, Dad”, he said.

“Hi, Looka. Are you ready for our present?”

“Yeah.”

The Dooka pulled a leash and, from behind the sofa, came a Cocker-spaniel puppy.

Looka was enchanted. For once he was given a real animal, not a stuffed one. He felt his breath catch in his throat, cutting off his hammy gasp.

The puppy caught Looka’s gaze and barked chipperly.

The Dooka let go of the leash and the canine ran forward to Looka, standing on its hind legs.

He crouched down to pick him up and held him close.

“Thanks, Mom and Dad! I love it!”

“You’re welcome, son”, his parents said in unison.

The puppy licked Looka’s cheek. The boy laughs.

“I think I’ll name you…” He paused to contemplate. “…Daniel.”

#green eggs and ham #looka #oc #dooka #eb #mother #guy am i #michellee #sam i am #gluntz #pam i am #grinch #fanfic #daniel the cocker spaniel

13 notes · View notes

justforbooks · 29 days

Text

The actor Lou Gossett Jr, who has died aged 87, is best known for his performance in An Officer and A Gentleman (1982) as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, whose tough training transforms recruit Richard Gere into the man of the film’s title. He was the first black winner of an Academy Award for best supporting actor, and only the third black actor (after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier) to take home any Oscar.

The director, Taylor Hackford, said he cast Gossett in a role written for a white actor, following a familiar Hollywood trope played by John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Victor McLaglen or R Lee Ermey, because while researching he realised the tension of “black enlisted men having make-or-break control over whether white college graduates would become officers”. Gossett had already won an Emmy award playing a different sort of mentor, the slave Fiddler who teaches Kunta Kinte the ropes in Roots (1977), but he was still a relatively unknown 46-year-old when he got his breakthrough role, despite a long history of success on stage and in music as well as on screen.

Born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Louis was the son of Helen (nee Wray), a nurse, and Louis Sr, a porter. As a child he suffered from polio, but became a high school athlete before a basketball injury led to his joining the drama club. His teacher encouraged him to audition professionally, and at 17 he was on Broadway playing a troubled child in Take a Giant Step, which won him a Donaldson award for best newcomer.

He won a drama scholarship to New York University, but continued working, in The Desk Set (1955), and made his television debut in two episodes of the NBC anthology show The Big Story. In 1959 he was cast with Poitier and Ruby Dee in Raisin in the Sun, and made his film debut reprising his role in 1961. On Broadway that year he played in Jean Genet’s The Blacks, in an all-star cast with James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Roscoe Lee Brown, Godfrey Cambridge and a young Maya Angelou; it was the decade’s longest-running show.

Gossett was also active in the Greenwich Village folk music scene. He released his first single Hooka Dooka, Green Green in 1964, followed by See See Rider, and co-wrote the anti-war hit Handsome Johnny with Richie Havens. In 1967 he released another single, a drums and horns version of Pete Seeger’s anti-war hymn Where Have All the Flowers Gone. He was in the gospel musical Tambourines to Glory (1963) and in producer Mike Todd’s America, Be Seated at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

His plays became more limited: The Zulu and the Zayda and My Sweet Charlie; the very short run of Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights, in which he played a black man owning a white slave; and a revival of Golden Boy (1964), with Sammy Davis Jr. His final Broadway part was as the murdered Congolese leader Patrice Lamumba, in Conor Cruise O’Brien’s Murderous Angels (1971). Gossett had played roles in New York-set TV series such as The Naked City, but he began to make a mark in Hollywood, despite LAPD officers having handcuffed him to a tree, on “suspicion”, in 1966.

On TV he starred in The Young Rebels (1970-71) set in the American revolution. In film, he was good as a desperate tenant in Hal Ashby’s Landlord (1970) and brilliant with James Garner in Skin Game (1971), taking part in a con trick in which Garner sells him repeatedly into slavery then helps him to escape.

In 1977, alongside Roots, he attracted attention as a memorable villain in Peter Yates’s hit The Deep, and got artistic revenge on the LAPD in Robert Aldrich’s The Choirboys. The TV movie of The Lazarus Syndrome (1979) became a series in which Gossett played a realistic hospital chief of staff set against an idealistic younger doctor. He played the black baseball star Satchel Paige in the TV movie Don’t Look Back (1981); years later he had a small part as another Negro League star, Cool Papa Bell, in The Perfect Game (2009).

After his Oscar, he played another assassinated African leader, in the TV mini-series Sadat, reportedly approved for the role by Anwar Sadat’s widow Jihan. Though he remained a busy working actor, good starring roles in major productions eluded him, as producers fell back on his drill sergeant image. He was Colonel “Chappy” Sinclair in Iron Eagle (1986) and its three dismal sequels.

But in 1989 he starred in Dick Wolf’s TV series Gideon Oliver, as an anthropology professor solving crimes in New York. And he won a best supporting actor Golden Globe for his role in the TV movie The Josephine Baker Story (1991). He revisited the stage in the film adaptation of Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class (1994).

Gossett twice received the NAACP’s Image Award, and another Emmy for producing a children’s special, In His Father’s Shoes (1997). In 2006 he founded the Eracism Foundation, providing programmes to foster “cultural diversity, historical enrichment and anti-violence initiatives”. Despite an illness eventually linked to toxic mould in his Santa Monica home, he kept working with a recurring part in Stargate SG-1 (2005-06). A diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2010 hardly slowed him down.

Most recently, he played Will “Hooded Justice” Reeves in the TV series Watchmen (2019), in the series Kingdom Business, about the gospel music industry, and in the 2023 musical remake of The Color Purple.

His first marriage, to Hattie Glascoe, in 1967, was annulled after five months; his second, to Christina Mangosing, lasted for two years from 1973; and his third, to Cyndi (Cynthia) James, from 1987 to 1992. He is survived by two sons, Satie, from his second marriage, and Sharron, from his third.

🔔 Louis Cameron Gossett Jr, actor, born 27 May 1936; died 28 March 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #louis gossett jr.#in memoriam

19 notes · View notes