Something about standing in line makes people willing to watch anything. Probably the fact that they're standing in line.
I have occasion, periodically, to go to a pharmacy located in a Kaiser Permanente Medical Center. I usually go after work, late afternoon, and the overhead television is invariably tuned to a local PBS station showing children's programming. Obviously, this is meant to entertain all the kids, except there never ARE any. Kids, that is. Nevertheless, the queueing masses always stare transfixed at the adventures of Daniel Striped Tiger or the Cat in the Hat (who today was dressed as a manatee for some reason that I was unable to ascertain--I'm usually listening to my iPod, and the closed-captioning leaves much to be desired).
I'm glad to see Daniel Striped Tiger getting work, though. I was worried about him. After Mr. Rogers' death, many of his co-stars struggled to land new jobs. Sure, Anna Platypus landed a position at the Consumer Affairs Bureau, and Donkey Hodie had some minor success as a monologist, but Prince Tuesday had to move back in with his parents, and the less said about Purple Panda, the better
.
Where was I? Oh yeah.
People never complain. People never ask that the channel be changed. Presumably, such a request would constitute an admission of defeat--an acknowledgment that one will be forced to wait long enough to make it worthwhile to watch something one would want to watch.
But NOT watching doesn't seem to be an option, either. Little though I may care about the continuing adventures of Elmo or Curious George, I cannot look away. I guess people never outgrow the ability to be transfixed by the shiny or the colorful. No wonder this country is going to Hell.
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