January 20, 2009

The times they are a-changin'

The times they are a-changin'

It's a Tuesday morning. I'm wearing sweatpants and an old sweatshirt, and I'm drinking ginger ale and eating crackers, as I recover from yesterday's stomach virus. I'm sitting on a beat-up couch in the boys' bedroom, a messy room filled with blankets and books and crumpled white socks. I've just spent a few minutes adjusting the rabbit ears on an old television set that is propped up under a big black-and-white poster of a young Bob Dylan.

The boys are at school and my husband is at work, but I'm on sabbatical. I should be down at my desk, writing, but I'm not. It's very rare for me to have the television on, especially in the daytime — it's something I reserve for momentous occasions. My laptop is on, and I am reading messages from friends, family members, and former students. As it gets closer to noon, my daughter wanders in sleepily in pajama pants and a t-shirt, and sits next to me on the old couch that Boy in Black sawed in half, carried upstairs, and rebuilt.

Outside, it's cold and the ground is covered with snow. I look around the room. A homemade R2D2 is shoved in the corner, bandanas hang from a lamp, a cat pounces on the couch, a DVD set of Heroes sits on the edge of the bookcase, and my daughter stares at the television set while we both listen intently. I memorize the details. This is a moment I want to remember.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes.

Rana said...

I love how many of us took pictures of the television today! :)

comebacknikki said...

Yes! Happy Obama Day! :)

Anonymous said...

I need to go and check out some more American blogs to see telly pictures! I'm glad he got elected. Sorry to hear you were poorly though, hope you're feeling better.

Anonymous said...

Yes. A day filled with renewed hope. So many tears where I was, and as I examined why the lump in my own throat, I realized that part of it was due to a lifting of the rage and suppressed frustration at the incompetence but mainly outrages and crimes of our high politicians lately (notice I couldn't use the word "leaders"). But that's in the past. We have a leader now.

Sarah Sometimes said...

yes yes yes

Jodie said...

It was like...

Watching the Moon Landing.

kathy a. said...

yes. what a great photo!

Anonymous said...

Yes!

Unknown said...

Best photo ever! Wow. So great.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

I got to watch it with my middle son and his kindergarten class. Delightful.

I am curious about whether you guys got a converter box for your TV. I kept forgetting to ask for a coupon and now they are all gone. I think I'm going to let our TV become just a DVD player. You?

jo(e) said...

Well, we *meant* to get a coupon, but didn't get around to it.

The kids keep saying they plan to get a box, but I'm not sure if that will happen. (I myself am not interested enough to be bothered ....)