See The Boy

See the boy. The boy sits. Silent and still. Still except for his furious little fingers, flicking around a controller. Eyes hung. Gaunt. See his eyes, hypnotized by the cherry apple corvette. See him crash it into pedestrians. 100 bonus points.

Grandfather Apelu sees the buzzing glass, sees it draining the boy dry. Dry of thought. Dry of action. Dry of life.

"Tana. Why don't you play outside? The sun is bright. The wind is strong."
"I'm okay, grandad."
"I don't like that thing you play on."
"I know grandad"
"Turn it off boy. Turn it off."
"and do what?"

"If you turn it off, I will tell you a story."
"No thanks grandad"
Apelu rises from his chair, and stares at Tana.
"Just a quick story boy, then you can go back to playing your tv thing".

Following a sigh of protest, Tana turns it off, then places himself with crossed legs at the feet of his grandfather, who has now returned to his seat.

"This is a story I heard the Reverend say some time ago".

Our Pacific is not small.
Vast is our ocean.
Stretching from the east
to the west.
How deep is the South Pacific?
emerald green to sky blue
and darkest blue seas.
Four winds blowing
In the changes of time.

Pasifikan do not forget
who you are and where you
come from.
This is home and home of our
Ancestors.
Follow your heart
do not be small in mind, spirit
and heart
because our Pacific
is not small.

Grandfather Apelu sees Tana's eyes have widened again. Widened as much as the bright smile that reaches across his face. Much has returned to the boys eyes. Wonder. Excitement. Life.
Tana is alive once more. Saying nothing. Eyes fixed once more but this time on his grandfather. Apelu glances at the television, and curses it in his head and in his heart. Apelu sighs in resignation.

"I don't like that thing you play on".
 "You can go back to your tv playing now Tana".

"Please tell me another Tama o lo'u Tama".