They were already for a story, but there was no story. They couldn't even make one up; how sad. The only one having a private reality moment was the news crew.
In the Future There Will be No Private Moments
(Continued from last week.)
There was a strange look that came over Darla’s face. She nearly smiled. “You must be mistaken; I saw my Daddy last night.”
The TV news reporter said, “Darla, do you think that was your Daddy talking to you from the ‘other side?’
“The ‘other side’ of what?’ Darla said sweetly.
“Darla!” The TV newsman said slowly. “Your Dad is dead. He spoke to you from beyond, from the other world, from heaven.” He then said to the others, “We can edit this whole thing right down to the tears and contorted face.”
“No Daddy’s home,” Darla said. “Mommy and I met him at the airport last night.”
“Your Daddy is dead little girl! Don’t you get it! D-E-A-D, dead!” the TV newsman said.
“No he’s alive,” Darla said and pulled out her cell phone. “Daddy gave me this yesterday and he just texted me. See,” she said holding the phone to the camera.
“Stop recording,” the TV newsman said. “She is obvious delirious and out of touch with reality. That sounds like a story in itself; how children deny that parents have died in war.”
“But he’s alive,” Darla insisted.
“Look ya little emotionless social-path give me some tears,” the TV newsman said. “Or I’ll give ya somethin’ to cry about.”
The TV newsman turned to Mrs. Gladstone. “You’re teaching religion in school. I know you are. Where would she get such a far-fetched idea?” He turned to the cameraman. “Let’s get this.” He held the microphone to the face of Mrs. Gladstone. “Have you been teaching your children religion in class; things like the after-life, heaven, hell, God, Jesus, and Tim Tebow?”
“Sir, this is hardly the time or place,” Mrs. Gladstone said.
The TV reporter stuck his face in front of the camera, “As you can see third grade teacher at Rode Apple Junction, Mrs. Gladstone, refused to answer allegations about teaching religion and stuff. She would neither confirm or deny them. This reporter will stay on this story; we can’t have a lunatic fundamentalists conservative teaching our kids about heaven and stuff, that kind of stuff is best left to liberal atheists.” He pointed to the cameraman and said, “We can’t get the social-path girl to cry so let’s go with what we got on Mrs. Gladstone.”
As the TV newsman walked out of the school he said to the cameraman, “We got to get one of those private homecoming stories from somewhere; everybody’s doing them.”
“Maybe it should remain private,” the cameraman said.
“Are you kidding me,” the TV newsman said. “Nothing’s private.”
Meanwhile down at the Jittery Goat Cafe;
oh, Kenton, so nice this story and your style of writing!!!
regards
xandi
Thanks, xandimusic.
The reason for these episodes is that the homecoming and reuniting of family and friends really loses intimacy and meaning when caught by a camera. Here in the U. S. it is becoming a bore.
Kenton