I see him everywhere.
The TV always was on.
From when i bathed in the warm glow of our CRT TV,
To the Plasma Screens, flat screens, V TVs, LED TVs and now the Smart TVs.
The TV was always on.
Whether it was Tobey Maguire learning his newly found Spidey skills or Leonardo pretending to be a school teacher.
I was always warned that it would make a mush out of my brain in my hollow skull.
But i couldn’t find any other way to trick myself into falling asleep.
The colourful palette of channels like Nick TV running shoes like Drake and Josh, or Neds declassified something something would never work.
Slower shows like Bones and Monk those were my Grade A sleeping pills.
But recently things have gotten worse at my job.
With so many lay offs, the only part of my day i have to look forward to, is to slump in my sofa and watch whatever’s on, on TV.
The Laugh track of shows like How I met your Mother, and The Big Bang Theory keep me company as I prepare my cup-a-noodles.
It wasn’t much, but it was a routine i was used to.
And then the day finally came.
I remember the distinct classical jingle of Its Always Sunny in Philly playing in the background when i got the call, i had to lower the volume finding it difficult to hear over Charlie Day yelling.
I was fired.
They said it was because our boss was caught doing some shit with the company money, i never understood all that commerce mumbo jumbo.
I knew a little about greedy sleazy CEOs from Arrested development, but the thought of looking for a new job as a Janitor at my age was all i worried about.
And that’s when i gave up, i bought packs of some random beer from the grocery near my home.
It’s almost a week now, i feel a sharp pain in my chest, on the right side.
It’s not the left side, so at least it’s not my heart.
Everything is cloudy, my head hurts, my eyes hurt, and i have this bitter taste in my mouth at all times.
In this mess that i was in it it was the first time i saw him.
He wasn’t standing outside my window.
He wasn’t at my door.
I saw him, at the one place i had been starting at for this one week now, my TV.
He didnt carry a sickle or scythe.
Nor did he wear a hooded black robe.
Skull-like facial features?
No.
That would be too obvious.
How then, would he hide in plane view.
I was watching NCIS and i saw him, i changed channels and saw him in a re run of Entourage. Changed the channel again… And there he was in the O bloody C.
I flicked through channels as quickly as i could
Going through…
My Name is Earl
Some show about a kid name Charlie
Reno 911!
Even Glee!
He was everywhere.
I stopped.
Took a good look at his face.
He seemed familiar, as though he had been watching me all my life and maybe i had caught a glimpse or two of him.
Did i know him?
Maybe go to the movie channels.
The Shaggy dog was going on, he can’t possibly be here too. And then there he was.
I again to no avail flicked through the movie channels…
17 Again
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Austin Powers in Goldmember
He was everywhere.
I gave one last try, i had to check out NBC perhaps for a re run of The Office.
Parks and rec was going on, i guess that was okay.
But there he was, i got closer.
I could see the metallic sheen from his curled lips as he quenched his thirst.
The vessels underneath, they perhaps ran ice cold, with freckles that splotched, that blemished, his pale skin.
I got closer to the TV.
Now maybe, an inch from my TV, i could see myself staring back at me from the reflection on the glasses that sat on his face.
Or was it just from the TV.
Then the TV turned off.
Nothing.
No sound.
And then it came on again.
And there was only one line.
Special appearance by
And i couldn’t read the rest.
Darkness suddenly falls over me.
I hear loud banging on my window.
I look at my window as I sit in the dark of his shadow and i see him, i look back at the TV.
Yes. He had made another appearance just for me.