He Made Himself At Home

[Brother_Bliss]

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

 

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mum taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger... he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

 

Sometimes, Mum would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home - not from us, our friends or any visitors Our long time visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol but the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

 

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

 

His name?....

 

 

We just call him 'TV.'

 

 

 

He has a wife now....we call her 'Computer.'

Their first child is "Cell Phone".

 

Second child "I Pod "

Edited May 13, 2013 by Dismal_Bliss

[leannsmarie]

Thats was excellent, Bob! Thanks for sharing that.

Ill have to save that one.

[rocket]

He has a wife now....we call her 'Computer.'

Don't yee be forgetting the Mother Inlaw "Facebook". That sweet endearing pal.

[trottigy]

That's great piece and a nice new photo. What prompted the change? I've been wanting to ask for the last couple of days. I am sure there is an interesting story there.

[lovestruth]

i love this post!!!! thank you, bob!!!

[Brother_Bliss]

That's great piece and a nice new photo. What prompted the change? I've been wanting to ask for the last couple of days. I am sure there is an interesting story there.

No interesting story. I've been watching a few others change there avatars quite regularly, and thought it was about time I do the same. The previous one was from a restaurant I visited after a Circuit Assembly back in 2004. In this new one I am actually holding my son who is apparently less around 1 or less, putting the picture at about 2007, so it is a little more accurate representation of me (I have a few extra pounds and a little more grey hair today though).

[lovestruth]

bob, can i copy and share this piece with a few friends who are not on our forum? it is really a great post!!!

[Brother_Bliss]

bob, can i copy and share this piece with a few friends who are not on our forum? it is really a great post!!!

Yes. I liked it so much I put it on my personal blog to share as well...

http://robertangle.com/ruminations/2011/01/he-made-himself-at-home/

You can link to it if you like.

[trottigy]

Nice. Watch those pounds my friend. I have found that the older I get the harder it is to lose them.

From to

[mustardSeed]

..the tv sure does have influence. amazing how it can control us if we let it...

[dewdrop]

In our story we met the stranger when I was six years old. But my dad exiled the stranger when I was twelve. I felt very bad at that time. But now I understand he was right. But now his wife and children are here. Though they are sometimes dangerous we are able to manage them.

[Keep Fighting]

Great and timely subject, thank you a lot. It is our ugliest furniture that's for sure. Warm Christian love to you all. >