OUR GANG enters the reception room at a fancy radio station. The boys have come for a live, on-air talent competition.
STYMIE [matter-of-factly]: Well, here we are, lady.
SECRETARY [stunned by their ragged appearance]: Who are you?
STYMIE [proudly]: The International Silver String Submarine Band.
TOMMY: We're the boys that called you up.
SECRETARY [skeptically surveying their bottles, cans, harmonica, ukelele, penny whistle, and other crude musical instruments]: Are you sure?
OUR GANG [double takes all around]
SCOTTY [addressing Spanky]: Maybe we ain't us.
SPANKY [sarcastically, with a disapproving shake of his head]: Maybe we ain't us! Mmmm!
(Hal Roach, "Our Gang: Mike Fright," 1934)
Watch Mike Fright (1934) in Comedy | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Scotty -- last name Beckett, probably a distant nephew of Samuel -- demonstrated existential uncertainty.
He probably grew up to be a teaching assistant in postmodern French philosophy, a newspaper editorial writer, an Obama policy adviser, or a homeless person.
Spanky, as always, had a firmer grip on reality.
He probably grew up to be an appliance salesman in Smithville, Texas, who didn't know there was such a thing as postmodern French philosophy, disdained editorial writers, voted against Obama, and contributed generously to the local homeless shelter.
Comments