The Guiding Light

I happened to see a little news blurb yesterday. CBS is cancelling the longest living soap on TV. It caught my attention because I grew up with the CBS soaps in the background. Mother referred to them as her 'stories' and was a very faithful viewer. This particular one started out on radio and was the very first soap on TV. Seems like my mom ironed every day and while she ironed she watched her stories. I would play with my endless collection of dolls close by. When ever I smell that special, one of a kind smell of the iron touching the damp fabric, I am transported in time. The original roles of The Guiding Light have long since died. The off-spring live on and either age at a highly accelerated rate or seem not to age at all. I haven't tuned in to this show in awhile, but out of nostalgia I have it on now. Reva is giving birth as I write this. Apparently menopause is not part of the life span in soap opera land. I figure that she should be in her 60's. Her children are all grown and she has a grandchild well into child bearing age. Of course, Reva has defied death many times, has come "back to life" twice (that I know of), and has even been cloned.

Used to be the old men still procreating late in life. Since the soaps are supposed to mimic real life I guess I shouldn't be surprised that older women are popping out babies. This one seems to like to really push the issue, though. Not only is Reva giving birth today; she is also battling cancer...for the second time (that I know of). There is also a character on this soap who has twin boys and each has a different father, this same character had an affair with her mother's fiance. I can't think of her name; she was Roger Thorpe's daughter. He was a the villain for many years, always causing his one true love Holly trouble. Blake, that was her name! Geez, she was a real slut for awhile until she married the DA who had been engaged to her mother. When he died she ran for public office. This is sad that I have all this trivia floating around in my head! What with all the bizarre illnesses and circumstance of parentage going on I have to wonder if there would have been a multiple birth taking place if this show had not been canceled. Quite possibly, I would think 9 or more, after all ,they would have to one-up the octo-mom, right?

Reva's baby has arrived! The child, fresh out of the womb is blinking his unswollen little eyes and cooing and gurgling. Wow. Dinah Marler is in the court room suing herself, while Reva chats with the new citizen of Springfield. Poor baby is probably wondering if this is his great grandmother. And me........ I am entertaining myself making fun of these absurd situations and remembering a chunky little girl content to play under an ironing board with her dolls.