Walt’s imagination flashed forward to 2035 when, at the age of 70, the government would probably assign a robot companion to monitor him 24/7. He pictured Robbie casually sitting in a tall chair at his kitchen island, explaining with authentic human emotion, that he’s in a cranky mood because of the itchy, burning rash that developed overnight on his artificial skin. Robbie might even complain that the built-in watch on his wrist, which controls the level of intensity for thousands of simulated nerve endings, is failing to mitigate his “pain”. Walt placed four tiles on the board next to the letter “F”, making the word “FOUND”, the U, C, and K remained hidden on his tray. He found himself desperately wanting to use them instead.
Lost in her own reverie, half-listening to the PBS documentary commemorating the 65th anniversary of NASA, Birdy’s mind flashed back to 1960. She was nineteen years old when the black-and-white television had just arrived, before the government had ever put one man on the moon. She remembered how happy her parents were and how the sudden and loud emergency broadcasting sounds used to scare the shit out of her. She placed three tiles on the board, using the letter “O” from Walt’s last word, spelling out “LOST”. Suddenly, both Walt and his mom were yanked back into the present moment, as they laughed out loud and shouted in unison, “LOST and FOUND!”
This ongoing game of Scrabble had sat waiting months for the two wordsmiths to find the time to finish it. Walt was still working crazy hours at 61, having been promoted six times with the same computer logistics company. Birdy, on the other hand, was long into her retirement at 85, fully enjoying good health, good wine and a long list of hobbies and clubs she absolutely loved. They both looked forward to these times when they could see each other in person, catch up and just enjoy being together. “I don’t care what the world is spewing out these days,” Birdy would say with her eyes all squinted up, “FaceTime and Zoom will never, ever replace good old-fashion sippin’ and suppin’!” Secretly, Walt felt the exact same way, despite the increasing ease and convenience that so much technology was bringing to his everyday life.
Birdy had single-handedly raised him with the strength and grit of a New England fisherwoman who knew how to survive on thick woolens, kerosene-lit lanterns and plenty of loyal, sea-faring friends. He never went hungry and there was never a time when he didn’t have warm clothes, sturdy shoes and a card game that lasted way past his “bedtime”. And, just like all the lobsters that constantly filled her nets, Birdy was hard on the outside, with an underbelly soft enough to crack open with just a flash of his smile. Walt’s love for her was immense. Birdy’s love for Walt was astronomical.
“Isn’t that so funny, Ma?,” Walt said while he contemplated his next word placement. “It sure as hell is, kiddo!”, replied Birdy. “And not only is it funny, but it’s also true! We live in a world of gadgets and gizmos and boxes with fake people inside them, it’s easy to get really lost…and, yet, here we are, sittin’ and suppin’, playin’ Scrabble, because we somehow found the time to be together.” Walt didn’t look up, he just shook his head in agreement and right next to the D he laid down two more tiles, A and N. “Yep! Now it’s perfect, Ma!”, he said, with that same smile that always hit her right in the soft spot. “This is totally us, and it always has been… sometimes alone we get lost, and, yet, together we are always found!”
Lost in her own reverie, half-listening to the PBS documentary commemorating the 65th anniversary of NASA, Birdy’s mind flashed back to 1960. She was nineteen years old when the black-and-white television had just arrived, before the government had ever put one man on the moon. She remembered how happy her parents were and how the sudden and loud emergency broadcasting sounds used to scare the shit out of her. She placed three tiles on the board, using the letter “O” from Walt’s last word, spelling out “LOST”. Suddenly, both Walt and his mom were yanked back into the present moment, as they laughed out loud and shouted in unison, “LOST and FOUND!”
This ongoing game of Scrabble had sat waiting months for the two wordsmiths to find the time to finish it. Walt was still working crazy hours at 61, having been promoted six times with the same computer logistics company. Birdy, on the other hand, was long into her retirement at 85, fully enjoying good health, good wine and a long list of hobbies and clubs she absolutely loved. They both looked forward to these times when they could see each other in person, catch up and just enjoy being together. “I don’t care what the world is spewing out these days,” Birdy would say with her eyes all squinted up, “FaceTime and Zoom will never, ever replace good old-fashion sippin’ and suppin’!” Secretly, Walt felt the exact same way, despite the increasing ease and convenience that so much technology was bringing to his everyday life.
Birdy had single-handedly raised him with the strength and grit of a New England fisherwoman who knew how to survive on thick woolens, kerosene-lit lanterns and plenty of loyal, sea-faring friends. He never went hungry and there was never a time when he didn’t have warm clothes, sturdy shoes and a card game that lasted way past his “bedtime”. And, just like all the lobsters that constantly filled her nets, Birdy was hard on the outside, with an underbelly soft enough to crack open with just a flash of his smile. Walt’s love for her was immense. Birdy’s love for Walt was astronomical.
“Isn’t that so funny, Ma?,” Walt said while he contemplated his next word placement. “It sure as hell is, kiddo!”, replied Birdy. “And not only is it funny, but it’s also true! We live in a world of gadgets and gizmos and boxes with fake people inside them, it’s easy to get really lost…and, yet, here we are, sittin’ and suppin’, playin’ Scrabble, because we somehow found the time to be together.” Walt didn’t look up, he just shook his head in agreement and right next to the D he laid down two more tiles, A and N. “Yep! Now it’s perfect, Ma!”, he said, with that same smile that always hit her right in the soft spot. “This is totally us, and it always has been… sometimes alone we get lost, and, yet, together we are always found!”