February 21, 2010

'The Stranger' Remix and Media Madness


(This is my fourth post on Media Madness)

Around the time of the incident mentioned in my last post, I read 'The Stranger'. I was so impressed that I've kept a copy of it ever since. 

I've included an edited version here, with apologies to its unknown author.


The Stranger

My dad met an enchanting newcomer to our town, and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted, and as I grew up, I never questioned his place in our family.

While my Mom taught me to love God's Word-- and Dad taught me to obey it-- the stranger was our storyteller. History, science-- he knew it all. He took us to our first major league baseball game, to movies and even introduced us to movie stars.

The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn't seem to mind, but sometimes Mom would quietly get up. You see, my dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but this stranger never felt an obligation to honor them. Our longtime visitor used words that made Dad squirm, offered us alcohol, and made smoking look great. The stranger's comments about sex were blatant, suggestive, and embarrassing. I now know how much I was influenced by the stranger.

To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted. Time after time he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave. More than thirty years have passed since the stranger moved in. His name? We always called him, TV.

*******

Sixty years have passed since television made its début in everyday life. Now there are many new strangers in town that makes the old stranger look downright prudish.... my next post.

Yes, that's me in the photo. 

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