Woodstock isn't a very complex or layered bird. He's a lousy flier and a loyal friend, willing to tackle typewriters or footballs or helicopters without regard for his small size. He's content to be the sidekick in Snoopy's shadow, though he demands dignity and respect all the same. He may seem a minor character to some, but my affection for Snoopy's little yellow friend goes back so far that he might hold the distinction of being my earliest favorite character. I liked the Peanuts gang as a kid, and enjoyed sharing my name with Snoopy's Joe Cool persona - I can vividly remember a Joe Cool mirror I had in in the bathroom as a little guy. Woodstock's favor almost certainly comes from my relationship with my godfather, my mother's brother, my Uncle Bobby. Woodstock was his favorite, and I think I swiped a Woodstock magnet from the dash of his old red car. He agreed to consider it a trade, and from that time on we "traded" lots of things, including our fair share of Woodstock figurines, towels, and more. He passed away my senior year in high school, and the Woodstocks are among my most treasured reminders of him.
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