Passage I

Grandpa’s Remote Control

[1]

My grandfather is not known for embracing technological change. He still drives his’ 59 Chevy Impala. (He says, he can’t imagine needing frivolous options like automatic transmission or power steering.) So, when he has went to buy a new color television—owing to the knowledge that his old black-and-white model had finally quit—and the salesperson tried to talk him into buying a model with a remote control, he resisted. He said that he had two good legs and was perfectly capable of getting out of his chair. (5)

[2]

However, the salesperson was persistent and, appealing to Grandpa’s TV-viewing habits, described the various functions on the remote. However, my grandpa could punch in the time, and the channel of his favorite daily news program, and the TV would turn on that program at the proper time. In the end, Grandpa did buy the remote, and it has since become something he uses all the time.

[3]

Grandpa is intrigued by the various uses for that remote. He has confided in me that the volume control is perfect for turning up the sound whenever Grandma asks him to take out the garbage. For example, he says, the button that mutes the sound lets him cut them off in midsentence.

[4]

Grandpa’s favorite feature on the remote is the sleep function. This option automatically turns the TV off after a preset amount of time, which is very convenient when he falls asleep while watching a show. For him, Grandpa says what he wants his TV doing, even when he sleeps, is to know a source of both pleasure and power.

[5]

[1] As for the programming function, Grandpa not only uses it for the news but also for playing jokes on his youngest grandchildren. [2] Explaining to the unsuspecting child that he has a remote control implanted in his little finger, Grandpa points his finger at the TV and, to the child's amazement, seemingly turns it on. [3] I suppose Grandpa hasn’t learned all the possible uses of the remote control, but I don't doubt he will continue to discover new and creative ways of using it. (14)