Raj’s TV Friends
Yasmine Galenorn copyright 2024, all rights reserved
Please do not copy or re-post.

“What’s wrong with Raj?” I asked.

All morning, Raj had pretty much kept to himself. He was usually talkative and happy—especially now that we had moved back to the Eastside and he had TV again. While he had fun in Kalevala, he had constantly been asking me how his TV friends were doing and he was so worried they’d get hurt while he was away. I hadn’t been able to convince him that they were actors playing parts. How it had eluded me that he really believed that everything he saw on TV was real, I didn’t know. But once we moved back into my house and settled in, Raj spent hours catching up on his ‘friends.’ I had to shove him off the sofa more than once to take a walk everyday so he wouldn’t become a total couch potato.

Raj sighed and looked at me. “Raj has missed so much in his friends’ lives. Raj feels out of the loop. Raj will never be able to catch up.”

I sat down next to him. The gargoyle was as big as a big dog, and without any wings, he kind of looked like one. “Raven has talked about this before with Raj. Raj’s shows are just stories. Like the ones that Väinämöinen told Raj about the ice faeries and the snowflake singers. The people on the shows are acting. Raj understands what acting is, right?”

Raj frowned. “Raven says Raj is acting bad when he misbehaves. Does that mean that Raj’s friends are misbehaving?”

I sighed. Sometimes I was convinced that Raj was deliberately misunderstanding me so he wouldn’t have to face the truth. He could be laser-focused at times, but he also had the emotional state of a four to five year old child. At least in situations like this.

“No. Acting—in the case of Raj’s friends on TV—means that people are pretending to be someone else, and they do it to entertain people. Raj saw a play in Kalevala—remember? It’s like that, only on TV. Now, Raven wants to go for a walk with Raj. Raj needs the exercise and Raven want some fresh air.” I stood, stretching.

Raj slowly got off the sofa. “But Raj loves Macy’s Playhouse, and now Macy is going away.” His eyes glistened and his voice shifted almost to a whine. But it wasn’t an obnoxious whine—it was the sound of someone who truly did think they were losing somebody they loved.

I knew that Raj loved Macy’s Playhouse. It was a kid’s show, and Macy—the host—was very much like a doting grandma who taught children lessons like sharing, compassion, and other qualities I very much wanted Raj to embody. Macy’s Playhouse had been on for years. I had no idea it was being cancelled.

“Wait—Macy’s Playhouse has been cancelled? When did Raj hear that?” I sat down next to him, draping my arm around his shoulders.

“Today. Macy was talking about disappointment and how sometimes people have to accept things that make them sad. Then, she said that she was very sorry, but she wasn’t going to be able to play with Raj again. She said that sometimes shows get cancelled and that if she could, she’d still talk to Raj every day, but that she can’t.” He stared at the floor, sighing again. “Raj is going to miss Macy. Macy explains things really well so that Raj understands them.”

I suddenly realized that Macy really was a friend of Raj’s…at least in his mind. Those who watched her truly did think of her as a friend and a teacher. She made a difference in the lives of the children who watched her and, as unlikely as it seemed, a gargoyle like Raj.

“Yes, she does explain things really well, doesn’t she?” I said, softly. “And she’s been very helpful, hasn’t she? Raven’s sorry for scolding you, Raj. Raven knows how much Raj really likes Macy.”

“But Raven said she’s just pretending. Does that mean Macy lied to Raj?” Raj asked.

I stroked his head. “No, Macy didn’t lie to Raj. Raven made a mistake. There are some shows that are like plays, but Macy’s Playhouse wasn’t one of them.” I grabbed my laptop off the table and sat back on the sofa. “Let Raven check on something.”

I brought up a search engine and typed in Macy’s Playhouse. Sure enough, it had been cancelled and wouldn’t be on any longer, but I spotted a link that brought a huge smile across my face.

“Raj, Raven has some good news. Even though Macy’s Playhouse has been cancelled, Macy’s going to start a show on WorldVid! It starts next week. It won’t be the same as Macy’s Playhouse, but she says it’s supposed to be similar!”

WorldVid was a site where anybody could upload videos and have their own channel. For the most part, it was free. I kept a close watch when Raj was on there—there were too many videos out there that, not only were inappropriate, but could scare the hell out of him.

Raj perked up. “Macy will talk to Raj again?”

I nodded. “And Raj will be able to leave a thank you in the comments for her—Raven will help Raj type it out.”

Raj let out a happy hrumph. “Raj loves his friend Macy. Raj tries to remember what she teaches him.”

“I know,” I said, thinking that sometimes, shows and stories were lifelines for people. Sometimes a fictional character could be as important as a “real” person—sometimes even more. And Raj was right. We could learn a lot from books and movies and TV shows. We could learn compassion and sharing, and we could learn how important it was to have friends who we considered part of our family.

“Okay, let’s go for a walk,” I said. “And then we’ll order pizza and tonight Raven and Kipa will watch a show with Raj, and Raj can tell Raven and Kipa all about who his friends are. Okay? Now get Raj’s leash, please.”

As we headed out for a walk in the park next to the house, Raj seemed much happier, and I felt a little humbled…Sometimes it took a loving gargoyle to see the value in something as simple as a TV show.

Bonus Scene: Raj’s TV Friends

One thought on “Bonus Scene: Raj’s TV Friends

  • 10/09/2024 at 1:23 pm
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    Thank you for reminding me there are kind people. Raven and Raj rock.
    Be well.
    Blessings.

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