The other "Be Good" story

 Yes, I know, if it weren't for the video (which I mostly love), there's a whole nother story that'd fit Gregory Porter's song, "Be Good."  (When I saw the mini-Cupid I was expecting this story, or some Little Girl story.)

I'm thinking like Toy Story.  The Lion is a stuffed toy, and thinks the little girl is named Be Good because Mommy and Daddy say that to her a lot.

Now we need the cage.  Okay, how about this: The Lion was actually a favorite toy of Grandma or maybe even Great Grandma.  It's an antique, and Mommy sees that as it's value and doesn't want it damaged (further, given it was a favorite toy).  So she keeps it locked up in a glass cabinet.

The little girl believes toys are to be played with, and wants the Lion out, but Mommy says "Lions are meant for cages..." and so on.   So the lion brushes his main and trims his claws, to be a better Lion, but Mommy Says...

And he sees the girl dance around the cabinet, but he can't get out, and she can't get in.  

And of course, the ending scene is the little girl walking away with The Lion in her hand.  How they get there?  An exercise for the Reader, of course.

Be Good.

Be Good

 

One of those songs, so simple, everyone understands it differently. 

Love song, sure, I hear that. Romantic love, could be, or familial love works, too, because it's "Be Good."

He's a lion, our protagonist. She tells him to "Be Good" so often he's determined it's her name. And he tries to Be Good, brushes and cuts his mane, trims his claws, to be a Good lion. And what he gets back is "She said, 'Lions are made for cages / Just to look at in delight / You dare not let them walk around / 'Cause they might just bite.'" He can't both be free and be a Lion, because Lions are made for cages. But she dances around outside his cage, pulling his tail, being what he can't be, because of course he's a Lion, and...

You'll note the song leaves him a well-groomed Lion, but still a Lion. Can't not be. I think that's Good.

If you've seen Pierre Bennu's official music video, it has one possible positive ending. His little micro-Cupid keeps giving him stuff to change, "You should smile more!" "You should act more happy!" But she treats him just the same.

I know it's your song. It should be, it's one of those songs. 

 

But that's me. I'm on the Autistic Spectrum.  I get my tail pulled, I get smile more, be more happy, don't be so focused or unfocused or look me in the eye or...  I brush my mane and  trim my claws, but I'm still a Lion.

And, sometimes a Dancer.

Be Good.