2.27.2009

HEY . . . HEY . . . Where is everybody?



Who remembers the "Twilight Zone"--I do. While I wasn't around in 1959 when it originally aired I do recall staying up too late one night with my dad watching a rerun of the pilot episode "Where is Everybody" where a man finds himself alone in a strange town. The town seems deserted, but everywhere he goes, he finds proof that someone had been there recently — food is cooking on the stoves, water is still dripping in the sinks, and cigarettes are still burning in the ashtrays. He grows more and more unsettled as he wanders through the empty town, looking for someone, anyone, to talk to. He finally collapses next to a street crossing, and presses a button labeled WALK. It is revealed that the walk button is in fact a panic button. He is really an astronaut confined to an isolation room for 484 hours, testing to see if he can stay sane cooped up in a small spacecraft for the duration of a trip to the Moon.



I am that man. I woke up last Wednesday to a deserted home, everywhere I go I find proof that someone has recently been here, food is cooking on the stove, water is still dripping in the sink, and cigarettes are still burning in the ashtray -- uhhhh, no? -- actually none of that is true, although our faucet does drip a bit, which I am trying to remedy. What I have found is recently played with toys strewn across Beckham's floor, Ty's recently read books open on the table, and the pleasant smell of Andrea lingering in the room. I am at home . . . but it doesn't feel like home. I, like my Twilight Zone friend, am growing more and more unsettled as I return home each day to a familiar and yet foreign home. Everything looks right but nothing feels right. I had to close the doors to Ty and Beckham's rooms, it feels weird to look in and see and hear nothing. Andrea is not here to talk to so I avoid our bedroom unless I am absolutely ready to sleep. Is it possible that I am an astronaut confirmed to an isolation room, testing to see if I can stay sane in a small spacecraft? Probably not, but I do wish that I could find the panic button that would end the experiment and bring the people who make this place home back home.



While I have yet to wander through this empty home, as did my T-zone counterpart through his deserted town, looking for someone, anyone, to talk to--I am not ruling that out as I have two days left . . . alone.





"the barrier of loneliness--that's one thing we haven't licked yet." Man the Twilight Zone is eerie.

4 comments:

ads said...

Hey Matt, it's Richard. I wish you were in town so you could come over and watch a movie on the big screen, and drink Vanilla Coke. Since you are not here in town I would be willing to video chat but only if you will do summersaults like Beckham. Hang in there, they'll be home soon.

Brad and Marci said...

Well Mr. Twilight I am sorry you are all alone and I bet if you look hard enough there might be an old cigarette somewhere! I feel like a crappy sister-in-law and I have no idea where Anj is and although my heart goes out to the lonely closed doors I hope she is somewhere fun and not feeling as lonely!

EconomouNews said...

I know excalty how you feel...felt...this was me last week. i hated going home to an empty house...and sleeping...forget it.

no worries..i am sure she will be back soon.

Que Onda Clines said...

Sad!! Call me if you want to chat! Though I am not Anj, I will try to think of something interesting to take your mind of your present lonely situation. She got home today though, right??

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...