Saturday, April 8, 2017

As Seen on TV


Several months back I saw Robert Redford and Robert De Niro
live on TV. President Obama awarded them The Presidential Medal
of Freedom. I was shocked to see how old they had become. I grew
up watching these virile and macho-manly men on stage and screen.

About a week ago my apartment went up in an early morning blaze.
I was fortunate enough to grab my pups and hobble away to safety.
Later that day, while my son rummaged through the charred and
water-soaked remains for anything salvageable, I was approached by
a TV news reporter and asked for an interview. I gave a brief account
of my traumatic experience; we shook hands and parted ways.

That evening as I watched the 5 o’clock news, the taped segment of my
interview played before my distressed eyes. I was horrified to see the
wrinkled, pallid and frail specimen I myself had unwillingly become over
time. It was just like that curse which had befallen Redford and De Niro,
except I was not a recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom. And,
in my protracted stretch of time on the planet, I have never received a
single award for my acting either.

Chris Hanch 4-8-17




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