When I was a little kid I used to love wathcing Different Strokes. Arnold Jackson played by Gary Coleman was like the first non-white friend I ever had. He was a little brother, I was a little brother. I think I even named my first goldfish Abraham just like his. I even used to sometimes say to my brother “Whatchu talkin bout Tim?”
Sad news today from the state where my big brother lives, Utah, where actor Gary Coleman died today of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 42.
I have to say that through the years I hated seeing the problems Coleman suffered, while the troubles of some celebrities like David Hasselhof are amusing, the troubles of Coleman were never titillating or even funny. I always felt like I was watching my friend Arnold suffer. When he ran for Governor of California I was rooting for him and today upon hearing of his death, I am truly sad.
Just a few days ago I was telling Hanane about Different Strokes, Abraham, and Arnold because she’s never seen the show. It never aired in Morocco. I told her that we can get a goldfish in Fez and name it Abraham and she had no clue what I was talking about, so I explained. She thought I meant name it after the prophet Ibrahim.
RIP Arnold Jackson.
Vago Damitio is the Vagabond in Chief. He is also a writer, blogger, traveler, adventurer and teacher. He has spent his life mastering how to have incredible adventures on minuscule budgets. Someday he hopes to have the option of using gigantic budgets for miniscule adventures.
