he went to ask what they were watching when he recognised that it was a reality television show on ABC its ghostly imprimatur in the lower righthand corner of the screen

the imprimatur reminded him of dried cat piss the discolouration the odor  it smelled like ABC

                                                                                                    JesusChrist he thought by now reality television would have died

he didnt have a TV he hadnt watched TV in twenty years except for professional football and hockey at a bar

he recalled the first shows that fascinated his wife and daughters Come! Sit down. Watch it with us.

he had a book to read  Ill sit with you

what he overheard was drivel spastic baby drool splashed on the small screen

somehow they ate it up and chided him for not watching

he laughed

            I think Im providing an excellent example of how not to submit to peer pressure

they didnt laugh they were abuzz at the nonsense they witnessed

Its not reality Any time someones got a camera on you and youre aware of it youre acting youre fake

                                                                                                           What was real that you just watched Youre watching the producers reality loosely-scripted encouraging particular outcomes fomenting phony drauma

Drauma, Dad, it’s drama.

Drauma Drama plus trauma

                               Im not interested in it Id rather read than watch that on television

they were ardent fans

twenty years later they were still watching it

                                                and yet he still couldnt understand their adamancy to have him sit with them ignoring it  and ignoring them

he didnt try to make them read

their choice

as he was welcome to his choice

he never understood the attraction

                                    perhaps it is the opiate of the masseshis coworkers frittered away breaks and lunches talking about the numerous shows the many characters the reality celebrities

if he entered the breakroom and overheard it he refreshed his coffee and kept right on going

he didnt ask any more than they would have asked him what he was reading

still his family tried to encourage him

Please Dont try to infect me Not going to happen I got books to read

he had workouts to do swimming to do saunas to take he had no time for inane productions

Life was too short

0711,  Monday,  17  2. 20

1212,  Thursday,  20  8. 20

Beatles  Let It Be  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfEBY9NM4