Turn on the TV!

Everyone and their brother will be blogging about the series finale of Friday Night Lights. OK, maybe not everyone and their brother because the show is ending because of a lack of followers. Where I am convinced it will go down as the greatest television show never watched; I can only keep the Kleenex handy as I process the fact that Coach Taylor has moved so far away and Vince still has a chance of signing with Georgia, and Tim Riggins is building my dream home but I don't know where it is located.  I will reference FNL again in the future I am sure, but in the meantime, I encourage you to check it out now on ESPN Classics.

No, the reason I start with it is because I think about what a powerful play TV has in human companionship.

When I was young, really young, we didn't have much in the way of TV. And where I am 43 now, I am not 83 so there was TV when I was young. I remember helping my brother by holding the extended 'twirls' of tin foil attached to the antenna so he could view his Vikings games.

I did not have a lot of TV in my life as a child. I was an adult before a color TV was owned in my family I think. However, the lore of television programs has been a part of my development. Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons were the only shows I remember being allowed to watch growing up. And because my youth was so isolated, I thought Laura and John Boy were neighbors. Oh, and  I do remember when Grandma Bortle came to visit us in North Dakota; she was caught watching her 'serials' (soap operas for those of you in a different era) and my sister and I were hanging out with her relishing in the criminal activity. My sister and I let Grandma introduce us to 'filth'. And we were thrilled!

I love television. It is still, as it was when I was a kid, this amazing companion and memory maker; you can look at a small screen in your living room and not be alone. I have always had a respect and reference for television. I know there are intellects; or too cool for school folks that are like - oh, No, I don't watch television...like we who do are inferior.

Television can be a waste of mind; don't get me wrong. But it also serves a lovely purpose.

I remember when I took care of Grandma Feary. I would come out every night and the first thing I would do was prepare her dinner. So I suppose she deserves some credit in my recent adventure. Then I would pour her a glass of wine or beer...to which she would savor as her previous caretaker apparently was Baptist. But finally, I would put on the TV her favorite, familiar show. One program was JAG. She would just light up when it came on Tuesdays at 8:00.

As well,  I remember in the Tiger house hanging out with Daddy watching Braves games. This was important television because this is where he and I talked about boys. He learned so much about me he sent me flowers once on my birthday and signed the card "love, Brett Butler "(Braves outfielder I had a huge crush on) and over the years he sent me (because he often had to work away from home) 'just thinking of you' postcards from my childhood crushes like Scott Baio and Paul Newman (I know, he wasn't thrilled about that one because Paul was a liberal and a little old for me) when he would be in places like Sparta, GA or Walhalla, SC. My Father had such a gift of capacity.

Some bonding shows I had with my Dad when he was in his final tour about this earth where General Hospital and NYPD Blue. I would come over to mow the lawn or clean the house and would end up gossiping about Sonny and Brenda. I never asked him what he thought about David Caruso's swift exit from NYPD Blue so I always wonder about that. I have the memories of family time around a TV program where one or more of us would go off to work on a chore and the "it's back" call would come when the commercials are over.

I currently have the TV I watched those latter shows with Dad on; it actually came to Mom and Dad by way of my sister Tracey and her husband I think. But I inherited it after Dad died. I don't know how to haul it off quite frankly. It has been in my truck four or five times when I have gone to the landfill to dump my trash; but I have not been able to unload this TV.

I now, as a single adult, always have the TV on in my house. Most of the time it is just comfort noise. Up until I needed to get DISH for our tailgate extravaganza I just had rabbit ear TV. And it was fine. On Sunday afternoons I liked to have the football games playing in the background of my day because it was comfort food. I always could get CBS so could always watch March Madness which I am obsessed with. PBS brought me great cooking shows; all the basics were covered.

I think about people with so much less fortune then I enjoy and hope for them they have a TV. They have a companion. Hopefully the rabbit ears bring them enough reception so they don't have to be exposed to the shameful shows that embarrass Television. Just a little bit of 60 Minutes perhaps; some Little House on the Prairie, whatever today's version of that might be; a little local sports and some Chef Ming. Don't count out the British humor that abounds on PBS either. And don't be alone; turn on the TV!

Recipe: the TV dinner; you know you crave them. The Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and green peas of it all!

Road trip: Dillon, Texas. Yes, I know it is make believe; we all need make believe in our lives.

Renovations: Tim, I need an island in the middle of my kitchen.