Idiot Box | Teen Ink

Idiot Box

November 29, 2022
By Its_Kai_Here BRONZE, New Hope, Pennsylvania
Its_Kai_Here BRONZE, New Hope, Pennsylvania
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

I get dressed in my white sweater and my long brown suede coat.  If it wasn’t for my head I’d look like a supermodel. I walk over to my mirror and look at my “face,” a plain box with a black screen. 
“Idiot box…” I say before putting cologne on.  

I wish I looked like a normal human instead of having a stupid TV as a head.  Once I’m done I go downstairs to get breakfast, a bowl of cereal.  First I pour the cereal, then I pour the milk.  After I eat, I get my keys and drive to my school.  I see a pretty girl walk into the building.  My eyes follow her; it seems as though she is walking in slow motion.  Her soft straight brown hair, her beautiful light skin, and her captivating green eyes.  She is an angel, and I could look at her for eternity.  I open the door and feel like all eyes are on me. 

“Stupid box… I wish I looked like everyone else.”

I feel so insecure like every word said is about me.  I walk into the first class and take my seat. 

After the day is over I try to get to my car as fast as I can and back home. I run up the stairs, and into my room.  I jump into my blankets hoping they will give me a hug.  I get my phone and look at social media.  Bzz-bzz.  It’s that girl!  She followed my Instagram.  I get a message. 

“How are you?”  My mind fills with automatic thoughts…  Is this pity?  Why is she texting me?  We text each other back and forth for a while until she says she has to go.  I continue to look through social media.  I wish I didn't have this idiot box.  The next morning rolls around again.  All the same things happen, except when I get to school.  

“Hey!”  She waves and smiles.  I look behind me and no one’s there.  She runs up to me.  

“My name’s Shay...”  I’m in shock that she wants to speak to me.  I try to turn my head away.  

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Malcolm…”  I don't say anything else.  Why won’t she leave me alone?  She’s so pretty and I’m just a loser with a TV for a head. 

“Want to sit with me at lunch today?”  She seems so eager and full of energy.  She doesn’t care how I look?  I guess not…

“Um, I’m not sure.”

“Well, I’ll save a seat for you.”  Her big smile makes me feel welcome and not judged.  

Shay… I like that name.  

Lunch comes around and I stand in the middle of the room with my tray.  I look for Shay.  Out of the corner of my eye, I see a girl jumping up and down and waving her arms.  Oh geez.  I walk over fast. 

“Why’d you do that? Everyone's going to judge.”  I stare at my shoes, not looking up at all, trying to hide my big face.  

“Well, you found me.”  She seems like she’s a bit sorry.  

We talk and find out that we have a few basic things in common.  Her parents want her to be successful, and so do mine.  We exchange numbers and before we both leave for the next class I see that I’ve become “Shy Boy <3” on her phone.  

“Bye Malcolm.  I’ll text you tonight.”  

Once I get home I take my phone out and start texting her.  She asks if we want to call each other and I say yes hesitantly.  While talking to her on the phone, Shay tells me that when she was little she had surgery on her heart, because it wasn’t working normally.  She has metal in her heart.  I say nothing for a while.  The silence is screaming (Personification).  I hear in the background, 

“Hey, what are we going to do for dinner?  Do you want me to make something?”  It sounds like another young, female voice.

“Who’s that?” I ask, trying to see if the girl will say anything else.  I come up with everything the girl could be.  

“Is it her girlfriend, roommate, mom, sister, friend?  I hope it’s not a girlfriend.”

“Oh, sorry that was my roommate.” 

After a few more minutes of talking we both hang up.  

After a few months we became best friends, but I still like her.  We always eat lunch together and call each other after school.  

In the morning I get ready for school and drive to school.  Before I leave I look in the mirror.  Idiot box.  Once I put my seatbelt on I hear a bzz-bzz.  It’s Shay texting me a good morning message.  I don’t answer because I started driving.  I arrive and see her at the door and I run up to her. 

“Good morning!”

“Oh! Hey!” She hugs me, “Good morning.” We walk in together and talk while I drop her off at her class.  

At lunch, I sit with her, like before.  She looks at me while playing with her hands.

“You know… I’ve always liked your face.”  She looks at me while her cheeks turn a pale shade of pink.  Really…  

“Shay, you…  You really like my…  Box…  My face?”  I have a questioning tone to my voice.  Does she really like my idiot box?!  

“Yeah!  It makes you unique and I like that…  To be honest it made me feel better about that surgery on my heart.”  She looks at me with a smile and I catch a slight glimpse of her watery green eyes.  I smile back, and I start to feel my eyes become watery just like hers.  

Someone likes my TV head…


The author's comments:

This is piece is inspired by Ray Bradbury's Illustrated Man.  I wrote this last year in ninth grade. 


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