Tuned In
By: Julian Lopez - April 2002 ©

    Martha glanced casually over at Tim. He sat there in front of the TV watching Barney sing and dance. "It's amazing how some idiot show could mesmerize kids today," She thought to herself, then went back to making dinner.
    "Timmy," she called, "Come here a second." She waited to hear him get up and come over, but was given no such answer. "Timothy Andrew Peterson. I called you and now you better get moving". She was now a little angry by his disobedience and even angrier when her favorite command didn't work.
    "Why isn't he coming?" she wondered. "He always comes after that, but now he's ignoring me." She tried to look out the door but the couch blocked her view.
    "You better hurry yourself over here, before I have to come get you." Still no answer. "That's it, this food can wait." She shut the oven and walked to the front room. "Here I come."
    She looked at the floor and saw nothing. "Oh no, where is he off to now?" She whined. She slowly walked around the front room, checking all the nooks and crannies he could have crawled into. After she finished searching the front room, Martha moved on to the rest of the house. 
    "Timmy, where are you? Timmy?" She called, hoping for him to answer. When none came, panic had set in. She was now running through the house, looking frantically for Tim. She had turned the house upside down after a few frenzied minutes of looking for her child. Martha now walked slowly over to the front couch.
"What happened? He couldn't have just disappeared like that." She slammed her fist on the couch in frustration. "I had just seen him, right here. Where did he go?" She looked back over to the TV. Barney was still singing, and the camera slowly panned out away from his face.
    "Won't you just shut up already?" She picked up the remote and fumbled for the off button. Before she found it the camera was aimed at the kids. One of which, looked exactly like Tim. The camera zoomed in on that child and he looked right at the camera. With horrific realization she saw it actually was her own little Timmy. He waved to her and mouthed out the words: "Hi mom." 
    "This can't be! It can't be Tim! No no no! Not him!" She cried, but she knew she was fooling herself. The camera once again was zoomed in on Barney. But now he wasn't just laughing, he was laughing at her. Then he looked at her and sang,
  
"I love you, you love me, and now I have your Timothy!"