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01/29/03
by Mike B
After hearing about the recent death of Ray L. Wallace, the supposed creator of the "Bigfoot" legend, I found myself somewhat heartbroken. Not only was I saddened by the man's death, but the fact that his family felt the need to expose his creature as a hoax.
Imagine, this man created a beast so fantastic, yet so realistic, that it captured the attention of an entire nation. Using nothing more than a couple chunks of carved wood, his incredible imagination and a bit of help from his family and friends, he gave us a story so believable that people today are still wondering if it's true or not. It didn't end there, however. Bigfoot was merely the beginning of a whole new breed of terrifying -and lovable- creatures, of which many more stories have been made. I bet the laughter Mr. Wallace and his wife shared as those stories spread across the country was delicious.
Unfortunately, due to Mr. Wallace's passing and his family's need to reveal the truth of his involvement, "Bigfoot" has suffered an untimely death.
It may seem odd that anyone would be concerned over this exposure, but as a child, I lived in a world where Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, Santa Claus, and other such imaginary beings played a large role. Of course, they were not imaginary to me at the time, and while trying to prove their existence, I went some pretty amazing adventures. As I grew older, I suppose I stopped believing in them, but those memories of scouting the woods with my friends or staying up well past my bedtime on Christmas Eve are sweet. They fueled my imagination as a child and to some extent, became a part of who I am today.
To be quite honest, the person I am today is still fascinated by the reports of Bigfoot sightings that occasionally make it to the news. And I'm not alone, obviously. I almost feel sorry for all of the scientist who are now out of a job.
Creating and cultivating legends such as "Bigfoot" into stories that can be passed along for generations is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, as well as ourselves. They are a far superior form of entertainment, because unlike television programs that feed you a new story line on a regular basis, these legends give you the chance to dream up any type of story you please.
There is nothing quite so strong as a child's ability to imagine. Being a writer/storyteller -of sorts- I believe it's important to hone those imaginative skills. It is a beginning to which happy, healthy adults are an end. The fact that this is one more legend I will no longer be able to pass down to the children in my life saddens me deeply. I can't help but to feel that at the price of being "honest" with ourselves -and I use quotations here because we are seldom honest with ourselves, regardless of our intent- we are trading away our imaginations, as well as that of our children.
Whether the "Bigfoot" legend is based of truth, or is simply the product of an overactive imagination, it gives us something special. This legend, like so many others, gives us a reason to ponder, it gives us entertainment on many different levels and it gives us the opportunity to laugh at ourselves in our unsurety. Why anyone would want to destroy that is beyond me.
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