BY2k - True Interconnectedness

Characters:
K-REV Radio Announcer  Brandon
K-REV Radio Interviewer Ann
Dr. Frank Hamilton

 

Summary:  
K-REV Christian Radio announces a new interview with Dr. Frank Hamilton, who wrote a book entitled BY2K.

(K-REV Announcer Brandon is seated at an angled table, stage-left a with a microphone on the table.  Seated at a second angled table, stage right is KREV’s Interviewer, Ann.  Sitting next to Ann is Dr. Frank Hamilton.  Brandon, Ann and Dr. Frank all have large headphones covering their ears.)

BRANDON
You’re listening to the All-new Digital Family-friendly Christian Radio Network K-REV.
And today we have a special treat—our very own KREV’s in depth interviewer Ann. Are you ready?

(Sound effect:  clapping and cheers)

ANN
We are ready!   Good morning Brandon. 

BRANDON
God’s morning to you too!   

ANN
Thank you.

BRANDON
Whatcha got for our KREV listeners today? 

ANN
We have Dr. Frank Hamilton here from JesuSaves Ministries.  

BRANDON
Awesome – this already sounds intriguing!

ANN
It really is intriguing—I like that word.   We’re here to talk about Dr. Frank Hamilton’s new book, entitled BY2K.  Good Morning, Frank.   

FRANK
Good Morning.  I’m excited to be here.

ANN
Thanks for stopping by today to talk about your intriguing new book. 

FRANK
My pleasure. 

ANN
Right off the bat, I have a question:  What does BY2K mean and why did you choose that as the title? 

FRANK
BY2K?  BY2K means Before the Year 2000.  The subtitle of my book is, Why we need to remember before we were all interconnected. Before the Year 2000, it was literally a different era:  the internet was in its infancy; “broadband” and “wireless” internet connections were just an engineer’s dream; cellular technology was just basic, at best—no TXTing and definitely no internet.  Cell phones in the 1990s were literally “mobile phones”,  in other words they were just used for actual speaking on the phone with an individual and voicemail.  What was the second part of your question? 

ANN
Why did you choose BY2K as the title? 

FRANK
Yes, yes—thank you. I see this trend happening where communication with our neighbor is becoming completely text-oriented and digital.  The art of getting away from the electronic device in our hands and on our laps and walking over and talking to our neighbor is being lost with every passing moment. 

ANN
How do you see this technological change affecting society? 

FRANK
I see it as a fundamental change in societal behavior;  social networks BY2K used to be going to church or hanging out at the mall—this new era has us networking online, communicating behind the dark shroud of anonymity:  we can literally be anything or anyone we want to be while communicating online.  It’s a new era—it’s a new world. 

ANN
You mentioned when I first contacted you about the book that this book is personal for you. Why?  Why is it personal? 

FRANK
What motivated me personally was my day-to-day observation of my own teenage daughter; how she interacted with her peers via TXTing and on-line; and then how she interacted with some of those same friends in person.  In her words, the personal interactions were “awkward”—amazingly the teens oftentimes did not know how to act with each other in person, and didn’t “know what to say.”  So, I wrote this book to warn families of the dangers of the internet; and to remember how things were before the Year 2000, and how they could be again: to learn the art of personal communication. See, the only true interconnectedness is found in the body of Christ.
 
ANN
When did The Tragedy happen, as you refer to it in your book?

FRANK
When my daughter turned 14, something changed.  She began interacting with strangers on-line, much like she did with her teenage friends; only this time her teenage feelings and crushes were directed to whom she was deceived into thinking were other teens like herself.  To make a long story short—you can read the details in my book—my daughter was lured into meeting an older man where he… (Dr. Frank stops talking, overcome by emotion) I am so sorry, The Tragedy is still so overwhelmingly fresh in my mind—I miss my daughter so, so much…

ANN
(reaches over and places her hand on Dr. Frank’s shoulder)  Oh, Dr. Frank, all of us at KREV have been praying for you and your family during this time of your loss.

FRANK
You have no idea how much that means to me and my family… 

 


--bro. tim pickl   
Sunday February 6, 2011 A.D.

Originally posted on FaithWriters -- Check it out:
 
http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article-level3-previous.php?id=38526

Return to Tim Pickl's Poetry Page