Commentary: The Gospel according to Wile E. Coyote

I know it’s not very “high-brow,” but I sure do miss some of the cartoon characters I grew up with. I can do a litany of a host of names, but this might not be the place.

By far, my favorite character in all of cartoondom is Wile E. Coyote.

Unlike most cartoon characters, Wile E. Coyote never speaks. His creators found it unnecessary to give him a voice. He makes plenty of noise to fill up a soundtrack all right, but the gift of gab is not his.

Little talk, plenty of action – that’s Wile E.

You can’t help but love the scrawny flea-bitten critter. By most standards he’s a dismal failure. He’s been outwitted by a roadrunner in every one of hundreds of episodes. Hundreds of schemes (and gizmos, usually manufactured by Acme) have not yielded one forkful of juicy roadrunner filet.

So why be so stupid as to chase a skinny bird all over a cartoon desert? Why, there’s not enough meat on a roadrunner to even stick in a coyote’s teeth. Why not go for a juicy prairie dog or something? For Wile E. that’s never been an issue. The bird remains the prize. And to add insult to injury, the show isn’t even named for Wile E. It’s named for the bird. The bird’s not the star! We all root for Wile E. He’s the star, for goodness sake.

However, Wile E. will “preach,” as we say in my circles.

Think about it for a minute. There’s probably not an adjective describing Wile E. Coyote that is not an admirable component of good character: focused, goal-oriented, resourceful, steadfast, creative, inventive, persistent .... We could go on.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wile E. Coyote sulk or pout. (Heaven knows he has grounds!) Fur pounded into the dust by a falling rock, he’s never shuffled off into a corner for any woe-is-me stuff. He’s usually puzzled, but never depressed. He pulls his riddled body parts back together, shakes the desert sand out of his fur, climbs up onto the stool beside his drawing board and starts in again, light bulbs flickering above his head.

The Apostle Paul told churches in Corinth, Philippi, and Thessalonica, “Be steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” “Press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Jesus Christ.” “Do not grow weary in doing good.”

If you visit my office you’ll see Wile E. Coyote standing where he’s stood now for ten years in all his stuffed splendor. The sign I hung from his toe disappeared long ago. It said, “Never give up; tomorrow we catch the bird.”

It’s the Gospel according to Wile E. Coyote.

Glad we could get together.