Jeremiah's School of Levitation

I grew up watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, with Marlin Perkins, and watching Jacques Cousteau specials and I was soberly educated by those guys' interaction with the beasts, but it wasn't until Steve came along that I participated vicariously in the man/wild interplay, and Steve's brash approach that basically said: "Come on, Mr. or Miss Poisonous/Deadly Beast, let's all just get along. Let me do my thing, and, in the end, we'll both be stars here. How 'bout it, mate?" was intoxicating. His show was one of the few in my "watching kid shows with the kids" years that I really paid attention to, and possibly enjoyed even more than my kids did.

His respect and love for the wild came through in his delightful interaction with the gnashing teeth and bared fangs of nature, and, in all honesty, I never got the same thing from Perkins and Cousteau, who seemed like nothing more to me than college professors getting dirty. I got a little delight from Jack Hanna's schtick on the talk shows, but though he clearly loved his job, I got no hint of personality from him beyond the "Aw, shucks," variety. Steve was the best of them all. He was all animal lover, and all showman. Unlike the staunch scholars, he seemed to treat nature as his golden playpen, not just as his "ahem--field of serious study and careful observation." He's not likely to be topped.

My kids and I loved you, Steve. "She's BEAU-IH-FUL!" was a constant exclamation around our house. And still will be. My man, you were the best. I'll never hear the word "crocodile" again without thinking of you.

You were BEAU-IH-FUL! Your family, and the whole world of conservationalists, should be very, very proud of you.

So long. Goddammit...

I loved Jacques Cousteau, but Marlin Perkins was merely a cadaverous man who was fond of saying things like; "As Jim wrestles the alligator, we will watch from a safe distance with a first aid kit. Note the large flesh tearing teeth on the alligator. Good job Jim!"

We'll miss Steve too. What a shame.

Beautiful words, Jeremiah. When something or someone is truly loved and missed, it's not difficult to express, is it.

He is irreplaceable although I have heard that his son Bob is just like Dad...his spirit lives on. :o)