Our television remote control has always been a powerful item. However, it was not until recently that I realised the actual strength of this small unit and why it has been dubbed ‘The Power.’
Husband is normally the keeper of The Power. He has not disclosed what damage The Power could cause if it fell into the wrong hands, but I do fear it could be immense, as he guards it very closely and becomes quite frenzied when it has been mislaid.
Husband has not been home much of late and Oldest Son has been anointed Second In Charge Of The Power. Despite being only 12 years old, he has stepped up to the challenge like a grown man and has guarded The Power with due diligence and care. Husband has obviously had The Power talk with Oldest Son and warned him of its dangers, for he has taken his new role very seriously and has ensured that channel surfing, advertisement aversion and lack of program choice continues in Husband’s absence.
Looking at it closely I can see that holding The Power is some right of passage to manhood – similar to the pre historic club waving of the caveman. Long ago, in the pre remote control days, Baby Brother showed signs of early Power Holding Worthiness by setting up a primitive form of The Power. This consisted of a broom handle and a long piece of string attached to the on/off knob of the television. Pulling the string turned the television on while poking the broom turned it off. While I thought this absolutely absurd, Dad allowed Baby Brother to continue with the practice for some time (probably until The Power was invented.)
When I first cohabitated with Husband we did not own a television that had The Power. But he also displayed primitive Power instincts and chose to sit on the floor directly in front of the television to protect me from advertisements and program choice (or maybe he was protecting me from the television itself).
So what danger lurks within The Power? Mum has always been a strong, independent lady and has managed moments of holding The Power without incident. However, she has spent years studying the television guide so that she is equipped with the knowledge to handle such a dangerous device. Hairdresser has no Sons and has been forced to control The Power every Monday, while Partner is at band practice. She boasts that to date, she has not come to any harm. But it was a comment made by divorced MD that suggested that the dangers of The Power were little more than control itself. She declared that she does not seek a permanent male partner as she wants to watch television on her own terms.
Therefore, is The Power simply an urban myth? Do we have nothing to fear except the fallout from the power struggle with male species in the household? I no longer fear the damage of long term exposure to one channel or advertisements or even having program choice. However, I feel safe with the current hierarchy of The Power and this is one glass ceiling that I won’t be smashing.
