The Fragility of Childhood

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These are troubled times. All of us have been forced to make sacrifices and dig a little deeper to find the will to stick together during these dark days in America's history. We've had to do things that, in other times, would have been totally unacceptable, like watching DVDs of older television shows during prime time. But fear not; this terrible writer's strike won't last forever.

Last night we settled in to re-watch the first episode of season six of 24. You remember, don't you? Of course you do. Jack Bauer, a man shattered by two years in a Chinese prison, is brought back to the US to be sacrificed in a negotiation with terrorists with whom we do not negotiate.

While they're torturing him, he manages to kick his guard in the prunes. Then he lurches forward and bites the guy - right in the trachea. After much ripping and tearing, face fervent and covered in O.P.C. (other people's corpuscles), he spits the guy's adams apple across the blue-filtered room.

It was at this late moment that the thought came that perhaps this was not the appropriate content for an 11 year old to be watching. I did what any excellent parent would do. I glanced in my daughter's direction. Sensing my gaze, she spoke without averting her eyes from the screen.

"He's Jackula." Thank the stars for desensitization.



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