STORYBOARD
Jimmy Jet lives in Happy Valley.
His father is an accountant and his mother is a pianist. They are both very successful and extremely busy.
Jimmy is 4 years old and he is raised by the Filipino maid, Marina, who is always talking on phone or reading a Filipino novel when no one is at home.
Every morning, Jimmy wakes up when his parents say goodbye to Marina.
He listens carefully when they shut the door. He moves his lips but produces no sound. He has no audience anyway.
Marina dresses up Jimmy at 8 o’clock, puts him in front of the breakfast and turns on the TV.
Then, Marina starts doing house chores and talking on phone with her friends.
Jimmy sits in the armchair and is surrounded by drinks and snacks.
Jimmy sets his eyes upon the TV screen, with the spoon in his left hand and the remote control in his right hand.
He plays with every button until he can control each and every one.
When he is full or hungry or thirsty, he hits the table and Marina comes over.
Whenever he is in need, he hits again and Marina attends to it.
The only noise heard in the room is the sound of TV and Marina talking in Filipino.
Jimmy is crying loudly as he just spills some hot milk on his leg. But no one is here as Marina has gone to the wet market to prepare for the dinner party that night.
Jimmy cries and cries. Finally, he stops and continues watching TV. From that day on, no one has ever seen Jimmy cry again.
But Jimmy screams extremely loudly when you take him away from the TV.
Once, his father says, ‘Our little boy eats so little.’
His mother says, ‘He loves watching the concert so much’.
The guests say, ‘Your little boy must grow up to be a knowledgeable person. See, he is already watching 20/20.’
Day after day, month after month, Jimmy grows bigger and fatter but is still very quiet.
In a stormy night, Jimmy's father steps on the remote control and breaks it. Jimmy cannot control the TV any more. The father covers his ears quickly and sneaks into his study. Jimmy's mother immediately puts on her headset and her fingers start dancing in the air.
Later at midnight, when Marina walks out of the bedroom, she finds Jimmy still sitting in the armchair in the dark and smiling secretly to the mirror.
The TV in the dining room is off but there is another TV in the mirror, which has replaced Jimmy’s whole body.
The next morning, the ambulance comes and takes Jimmy, the TV boy, and his parents who have gone crazy, all to the hospital.
Now the only sound heard at home is from Marina, who is still talking excitedly on phone.
His father is an accountant and his mother is a pianist. They are both very successful and extremely busy.
Jimmy is 4 years old and he is raised by the Filipino maid, Marina, who is always talking on phone or reading a Filipino novel when no one is at home.
Every morning, Jimmy wakes up when his parents say goodbye to Marina.
He listens carefully when they shut the door. He moves his lips but produces no sound. He has no audience anyway.
Marina dresses up Jimmy at 8 o’clock, puts him in front of the breakfast and turns on the TV.
Then, Marina starts doing house chores and talking on phone with her friends.
Jimmy sits in the armchair and is surrounded by drinks and snacks.
Jimmy sets his eyes upon the TV screen, with the spoon in his left hand and the remote control in his right hand.
He plays with every button until he can control each and every one.
When he is full or hungry or thirsty, he hits the table and Marina comes over.
Whenever he is in need, he hits again and Marina attends to it.
The only noise heard in the room is the sound of TV and Marina talking in Filipino.
Jimmy is crying loudly as he just spills some hot milk on his leg. But no one is here as Marina has gone to the wet market to prepare for the dinner party that night.
Jimmy cries and cries. Finally, he stops and continues watching TV. From that day on, no one has ever seen Jimmy cry again.
But Jimmy screams extremely loudly when you take him away from the TV.
Once, his father says, ‘Our little boy eats so little.’
His mother says, ‘He loves watching the concert so much’.
The guests say, ‘Your little boy must grow up to be a knowledgeable person. See, he is already watching 20/20.’
Day after day, month after month, Jimmy grows bigger and fatter but is still very quiet.
In a stormy night, Jimmy's father steps on the remote control and breaks it. Jimmy cannot control the TV any more. The father covers his ears quickly and sneaks into his study. Jimmy's mother immediately puts on her headset and her fingers start dancing in the air.
Later at midnight, when Marina walks out of the bedroom, she finds Jimmy still sitting in the armchair in the dark and smiling secretly to the mirror.
The TV in the dining room is off but there is another TV in the mirror, which has replaced Jimmy’s whole body.
The next morning, the ambulance comes and takes Jimmy, the TV boy, and his parents who have gone crazy, all to the hospital.
Now the only sound heard at home is from Marina, who is still talking excitedly on phone.
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I'll tell you the story of Jimmy Jet
And you know what I tell you is true.
He loved to watch his TV set
Almost as much as you.
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He watched all day, he watched all night
Till he grew pale and lean,
From "The Early Show" to "The Late Late Show"
And all the shows between.
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He watched till his eyes were frozen wide,
And his bottom grew into this chair,
And his chin turned into a turning dial,
And antennae grew out of his hair.
-
And his brain turned into TV tubes,
And his face to a TV screen.
And two knobs saying "VERT." and "HORIZ."
Grew where his ears had been.
-
And he grew a plug that looked like a tail
So we plugged in little Jim.
And now instead of him watching TV
We all sit around and watch him.
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Jimmy Jet and His TV Set
BY Shel Silverstein
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