NANAIMO -- You should know Eperly loves squirrels. The girl was dressing up in head-to-toe squirrel costumes since long before the Prime Minister was staging his daily pandemic briefings.
You should also know that what happens in this story was inspired by the day Justin Trudeau talked about “these are the things we know” about COVID-19.
Eperly’s fondness for squirrels is one of the things her uncle Todd knows.
“I have a 1970’s Fisher Price squirrel family,” Todd says about his collection of stuffed animals that live in a soft log house. “That was my favourite toy as a kid.”
Before COVID-19, Eperly would play with the squirrels when she visited Todd. But now — while her mom works on the frontline as a nurse — Eperly is living with her grandparents.
“I wanted to give her a little bit of a treat,” Todd explains. “To let her know I’m thinking of her.”
But how, Todd wondered. He found his inspiration by turning to Trudeau.
“Speaking moistly on them,” the Prime Minister was saying the day Todd was thinking.
“And I thought, what would the Prime Mini-squirrel of Canada be telling his [squirrel] constituents at this crucial time?” Todd smiles.
Todd answered that question by making Eperly a music video.
It features one of those toy squirrels walking (through stop-motion animation) in a real forest. After leaving his log house, he stops at a podium and start singing in auto-tune: “Wash our nuts/ In soapy water/ These are the things/ The things we know.”
Todd’s song features original lyrics, a melody similar to another satire video, and a chorus inspired by Trudeau’s “moist” comments.
“And please stop squeaking moistly,” the Prime Mini-squirrel sings before two dancing trees join him. “Keep two branches apart/ Stop squeaking moistly.”
Writing doesn’t do the scene justice; I suggest watching the story to get the full effect.
Eperly watched the music video at her grandparent’s house. There’s video of the girl smiling after it finished, saying, “Thank you,” to Todd.
Off-camera, Eperly had a more nuanced reaction.
“My mom said when Eperly saw it she said, ‘That’s weird but it was kind of funny,’” Todd laughs. “That’s perfect! That’s exactly what I was going for!”
What Todd wasn’t expecting was — after hours of editing the video — how infectious the song is.
“It burrows down into your head and makes a nest there!” Todd smiles.
And perhaps the music video will inspire you too. If self-isolation is making you a little nuts, perhaps you’ll stop going squirrelly if you start doing something fun for others.
“Keep trying to keep yourself and your friends entertained,” Todd smiles.
And don’t forget, “Please stop squeaking moistly.”
