Dr. Petrie Dish, Scientist and Lab Coat designer, lives on an island off the mainland and within viewing distance of the town of Korecto. The people in Korecto are at first amused by the free-spirited and original Dr. Dish. They smile at his personally designed clothing, toupees as well as the lab-escaped rats, a vegetarian croc and several cats that he shares the island with. Each month Dish hosts a
Full-Moon Soiree
and invites folks from Korectite to join him and "play." Each month the invitations are thrown into the sea but Dr. Dish hosts the soiree with his animal friends, not bothered by the obvious rejection. And that's how it goes, until a resident of Korecto comes down with "the gloom". Looking for someone or something to blame, the afflicted resident chooses the perfect scapegoat; Dr. Petrie Dish. Not wanting to feel alone in his misery, the gloom-afflicted resident begins gossiping and spreading rumors about Dr. Dish. Soon the whole town is obsessed with Dish; his capricious, innocent ways, once seen as funny and amusing, are now perceived as a dangerous threat. The Mayor, who is suspected of certain misbehaviors in his office, seizes the opportunity to untarnish his star. He decides to assert what's left of his power and evict Dr. Dish from the island. The story takes several surprising twists and turns, revealing at the end that many residents of Korectite secretly envied Dr. Petrie Dish's lifestyle and Joie de Vivre.
Dr. Petrie Dish
is truly a seriously/silly tale. The serious issue of scapegoating and fear of those different than ourselves is communicated through interesting, silly characters and whimsical rhymes. It is also a celebration of a creative and generous life well-lived, without concern for the opinion of others; A life in keeping with the Oddvarkian concept of
Find your hummm and join the chorus.