The origins of 'Zipdinger'

When Jer and I were first married, we were called to co-teach nursery class to 2-3 year olds, with a man who shall be named "Brother Doe". Imagine Chris Farley doing 'fat man in a little coat', mesh that with Barney, now make him shorter, pudgier, and balder, and you have got yourself a perfect mental image of Brother Doe. He was just about the goofiest man I ever met. Perfect for teaching three year olds, but he drove just about every adult I knew at that time completely crazy.

We alternated teaching. One week it was our turn to teach, the next week was his. His lessons were always a delight to the senses. Complete with flailing arms, bulging neck veins, broad (bordering on insane looking) grins, and a very very loud man-voice. On the particular Sunday in question, we were expecting nothing less than a great show. We settled in at the back of the classroom for the weekly revival. What we got was so much more: the birth of an epic term, to be used throughout the ages.

He began with props. Out of a bag he pulled seed packets,  garden tools, and child-sized snow parka, gloves and hat. He turned to the kids. "Hey, kids!!! Are ya ready for a ZIPDINGER of a lesson??! Today, we're going to learn about the seasons. First comes spring. Stuff grows in the spring. But first, you hafta plant it!" He proceeded to tear open seed packets and dump them all over the classroom floor, and then rake them into the carpet with a hand-rake. Zipdinger.

"Come on, kids! Help me!!" Now they're all on the floor, raking seeds into the carpet with their hands. Zipdinger.

"After awhile, it gets hot, and our plants get big. Then, the weather gets cold." This is where the fat man in a little coat comes in. He seriously squeezes himself into this tiny parka, puts the too-small hat on his head, and pretending to shiver says, " BRRRRRRR!!! Isn't it cold kids??! Aren't you cold??" Of course, the kids all join in. Zipdinger.

"And those, kids, are the seasons!" He ended so abruptly, I honestly expected a bow.

We left church that day sure of a few things: 1- Brother Doe was completely crazy. 2- Never, for the rest of our lives would we see a Sunday school lesson so unequivically awesome. 3- Even if we tried (and believe me we have) there would never be a better description for what we had just witnessed than "Zipdinger."