Through the Eyes of a Television
TV’s Have Feelings Too
Presently I am perched on a wall like a very large bird. In the olden days, I might have been on a metal stand or encased in a wooden box and be much smaller but no matter where or how I am displayed, I have a perfect view.
A perfect view of them.
Seems fair.
They have a perfect view of me.
I find it interesting and curious that I am the voyeur. I watch as I am being watched. The humans are comfortably settled in a chair or a sofa wrapped in a blanket while they gaze at me for extended lengths of time.
Is it me they are looking at? I am merely a square structure. Although I do feel vibrations when I am illuminated. I come alive at the same time each day and I produce visual images for the humans.
They aim their extended arm out while holding another small device at me. It looks like they are pressing buttons that are on this smaller device. Occasionally the room gets loud, so loud that my box might explode. Then the arm is again extended and the sounds coming from inside me become softer.
I have heard that in years past, humans would approach my wooden box. There wasn’t a smaller device for their extended arm so they would have to walk up to me and fiddle around with some circular knobs on my box. My sounds would be quieter or louder and my colors would be more vibrant. Some of the boxes from long ago had no colors at all. The only shades would be black, gray, and white. The first box was invented in 1927.
But over time the boxes have evolved!
While I am watching the humans that are watching me, I notice that they seem lethargic. The two expressive organs that are on their face, become lazy. Once they were wide open and now closed. Soon, there is a sound. It is a soft inhale, then a soft exhale. Occasionally there is a raspy vibrating noise coming from their mouths.
Quite suddenly, the humans arouse from this relaxed state and seem to focus on me, the box. They extend their arm again and aim the small device towards me. I feel jolted. Every second, another small jolt like electricity. My brain is flashing different images. It’s just too hard for me to keep track. I feel electrified.
The humans sometimes seem quiet and melancholy. I see wetness from the two expressive organs on their face. And then suddenly, they seem loud and boisterous and jolly. I spy more wetness on their face but it is different. It feels happy even for me, a box.
When the humans stare at me in the late afternoon or early evening, they yell at my box. I don’t know what I have done to cause so much anger. I am just a box hanging on a wall. But this happens at the same time every day. I sometimes wish I would not be illuminated at this time.
I overheard a discussion from the humans about replacing me with a bigger box. I wonder what then will happen to my box? If this happens I will miss observing these humans. They have become so important to me. I enjoy watching them watch me. I will try to be better. I will make my colors more vibrant. I will keep my sounds at an appropriate decibel. I vow I will try to not make them yell at my box in the late afternoon or early evening.
But they keep talking about a big box store that has a sale on big boxes. This makes no sense to me. If this happens, maybe my humans will put me in another location in their dwelling. I will be lonely but perhaps another person, perhaps a visitor, will discover me then I can watch them while they are watching me.