The Family: Going Digital

It’s Saturday afternoon in the living room our family’s household. The son is slumped on the sofa watching his favourite program as the Dad enters, excited as a boy in a sweet shop would be. With a grin on his face he proudly announces to his lethargic son.…

Dad: “Son, we are going digital!”

…he rummages in his shopping bag while his son looks on with a bemused expression on his face. He picks out a box, opens it, and glances at the instruction manual.

Dad: “Right, always read the instruction manual.”

…now he begins the set-up process….

Dad: “First things first, turn off the TV.”

…he reaches behind the TV and switches it off. The son sits up on the sofa in shock at the abrupt end to his viewing pleasure.…

Son: “Ah, Dad!”

…the Dad dismisses his protests….

Dad: “Now take the aerial cable from the TV, and plug it into the digi box. “

…he plugs in the cables…

Dad: “OK, now take the scart lead and connect it from the TV to the digi box.”

…despite looking to his son for encouragement, the youth is unimpressed and resorts to looking at his glossy magazine. The Dad searches for the scart lead…

Dad: “Now, scart lead……hey hey!”

….and triumphantly lifts it in the air when he finds it…..and then plugs it in….

Dad: “Plug the scart lead into the TV, and then into the back of the digi box.”

Dad: “Now take the aerial cable from the recorder”

…when looking for encouragement from his son, the teenager shows his disinterest by lifting the magazine in front of his face....so he repeats himself….

Dad: “Take the aerial from the recorder…”

Son: “All right!”

…and plug it into the TV...

Dad: “And that’s it, it’s set up.”

Dad: “And turn the telly on..”

….he then steps back from his achievements, he opens his arms in anticipation…..

Dad: “…and let the magic fill the room!”

….when nothing happens, the son lowers his magazine to see what’s happening but nothing does…the dad scratches his head in bemusement…then he suddenly remembers what he needs to do…

Dad: “Erm, right…..turn it on, turn it on!”

….he continues with the set-up….

Dad: “Turn on the digital box….”

Dad: “Now….remote control.”

Dad: “Er, now hang on a sec…..”

…he steps back and looks for the remote, searching in perplexity…..

Dad: “I….I went to the box, then I went to the….”

Son: “Dad!”

…after a couple of seconds the son points to his top pocket….

Dad: “Oh, I knew that.”

…he conceals his embarrassment with a sheepish smile and sits down with his son, putting his arms around his shoulder

Dad: “Did you know these little digi boxes; most of them can find channels automatically.”

Son: “Cool”

Dad: “Now we can choose whatever we want to watch”

The son swipes the remote out of his Dad’s hand

Son: “Nice one Dad, fancy a cup of tea?”

Dad: “Yeah, why not?”

Son: “Go on, then….”

….his son ushers for him to go out and make the tea.

…the Dad guffaws in disbelief, but nevertheless gets off the sofa and heads to the kitchen…

…the son giggles and goes back to watching TV…

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