Peep Peep Peep

Caveat: I am going to write about something rather sensitive and serious. I am going to be very tongue-in-cheek and snarky because I can't help finding elements of the ridiculous in, well, everything. I guess this is my way of dealing with situations like this...

A few weeks back an e-mail from the Hall Master of my Student Residence Hall popped into my inbox with the title "Re: Peeping Tom". Deeply intrigued, since, A) We rarely receive any communiques from the "Master"; and B) "Re: Peeping Tom" -- come on, that is an eye-catching headline if there ever was one; I clicked, read, paused, then giggled. The giggle was inappropriate. After all, reports of a peeping tom (a voyeur spying on a person in a vulnerable state), who is grossly violating the privacy of an individual in the most cowardly manner, is no laughing matter.

I get that, absolutely. I'm all for rooting out the sick bastard, stripping him nekkid, tying him to a splintery wooden post and handing the violated a paintball gun.

What is it about this matter that gives rise to inappropriate giggles? Well, there's an inherent ridiculousness to the term "Peeping Tom". The word "Peep", which used in the context of this term, means to look furtively or slyly, yet for some odd reason, it has an almost harmless connotation to it, due, I think, to alternate definitions (i.e. "peep" = a chirping bird sound), slang uses ("peeps" = people), and innocent, delicious sugary candies (i.e. "Marshmallow Peeps").

Next, I wondered where this odd term came from. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, I discovered that the term "Peeping Tom" has origins in the story of Lady Godiva, who, in the 11th Century, in an act of protest against her husband's excessive taxation of the townspeople, rode through town on a horse, unclothed, with only her long hair to protect her modesty. Before her ride, she asked the townspeople to stay indoors. However, one man, named Tom, cut a hole in his window covering to catch a glimpse of (or peep on) Lady Godiva. He was struck blind upon peeping, and thus, the term "Peeping Tom" was born.

Finally, the term gives me the giggles because of a more obscure pop culture reference. The term "Peeping Tom" sends me back to 1989, Sunday night, crouched in front of our ancient TV, desperately adjusting its bunny ears while ensuring that the tape in the VCR is cued to the right spot. As the digital clock flicks to 9:00pm, like a maestro, I hit the "Record" and "Play" buttons in unison. Perfect. "Love and marriage..." Frank Sinatra begins singing the opening bars to the awesome, brilliant Fox sitcom "Married...With Children".

The episode is titled "Here's Lookin' at You, Kid", and revolves around, yes, a peeping tom. This evil fiend is terrorizing the neighborhood women....except Peggy. As every woman, except Peggy, is subsequently peeped, the frenzy, panic, and vigilante efforts grow. And making things worse for our woeful shoe-selling, former high school football hero Al Bundy, his wife Peggy's self-esteem takes a nosedive (she believes she isn't desirable enough to garner the peeping tom's interest) and consequently, her wails to Al grow louder and shriller. In short, Al's life, consisting primarily of an ungrateful family, cheap shoes for large, obnoxious women, and wistful, rose-tinted memories of "four touchdowns in one game", high school football glory, is made even more unbearable. His patience wearing thin, and convinced that his life will be more peaceful (or at least less sucky) once Peggy has been peeped, Al commences Operation Peep on Peggy. Of course, given Al's luck, the episode ends with him successfully peeping on Peggy, getting caught, and then lynched, by the frenzied neighborhood vigilante women.

To sum up, when I hear the term "Peeping Tom", I envision Al Bundy, his comical visage encased in a pair of pantyhose, the silky "legs" sprouting from his head like bunny ears, rasping "Peep Peep Peep" outside his bedroom window in an attempt to get his wife's attention. So while the term "Peeping Tom" is inherently ridiculous, it is made even more so for me by this giggle-inducing image from my VCR, bunny-ear TV watching youth.