So, on the way home from Colorado, I wandered into the schlock shop of my youth to see an old friend. (Well, okay… I wanted to check for seams, now that I’m an adult.)

‘Imagine my shock, when I found him under glass! I remember him standing proud on a ledge overlooking the jackalope skins and cowboy hats. Sorta center-stage schlock. The place has gone all museum-y educational, though, and it looks like a lot of glass has moved in.

According to the card on the glass, this calf was born in Stapleton, Nebraska and lived for about 48 hours.

I didn’t see any seams, but, then it’s under glass.

Buffalo Bill Cody is also under glass. I think we can rest assured that he, at least, is a fake.

The whole place has been remodeled since the last time I was there. It’s much more open than it was–probably to get rid of all the little aisles and cubbyholes that were out of sight of the cash register, back then. Like I said, earlier, it’s more museum-y than it was, or at least, a more legit-museum feel than glorified side-show museum. I mean, look… glass.

There’s a small panorama of the railroad, and a nifty, touchable display of animal skins. There’s nothing here that couldn’t be replaced regularly, and from the looks of them, I suspect they have been.

The place is also a lot more politically correct. In case I hadn’t mentioned it, the whole thing is in the shape of a fort, and when I was a kid, the U.S. Soldiers and the Native Americans of Indeterminate Tribal Affiliation were in the middle of a tooth and claw fight outside. Now, the soldiers are peacefully standing guard along the roof line, and… well, it appears they had a few NAOITA’s left over, so they’re inside, now, and posed to look like they’re shopping, and not crawling up walls or Tomahawking anyone.

It actually just occurred to me that there are no female manikins here, either. They probably got sick of it all and went to a movie or something. I must have missed that day in school.