Sunday, November 1, 2009

When Dinosaurs Watched TV

My son was watching a show on TV (Law and Order or one of those other police shows). The first time it switched to black and white my son comes running into the room where i was (god forbid) reading a book, and says mom we need a new TV ours broke. So in a panic, because the TV is THE only way to get work done with two kids, I run into the other room to see what happened. The TV is broken mom, there are no colours. I patiently explained to him that the show was in black and white on purpose. "Why, mom that doesn't make sense." The following is a paraphrase of the conversation that followed:


“For effect, Jonas” I said. They want you to think it’s the 1950’s. As a matter of fact mommy remembers when there was still a black and white TV in our house.”


“Mom, you were in the 1950’s”.


“No but Grandma was born in the 50’s.”…


“Wow, she’s old, did you know you have to wait for shows to come on at her house? She doesn’t even have Noggin ”


“Jonas if you think that’s old, ask Great Grandma how old she is. I’m not sure she even had a TV when she was a kid.”


“Mom, there wasn’t TV before?” (My son does actually start every sentence directed towards me with “mom” so I personally am not trying to be annoying. I’m just letting you know what it’s like.)


“No honey, there wasn’t”.


“ Mom, was Great Grandma born with the dinosaurs?”


The answer to that question was obviously no. However, Great Grandma was born at about the time the first television was born (1926 for TV 1928 for Great Grandma). Although at the time most people in rural Western NY were still marveling at the modern wonders of running water so not many people around here had one in their home. When I explained this to my son he didn’t believe me that there was once no running water in homes. I figured I’d find him a TV documentary to prove it later on this week.

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