A couple weeks ago our five year old, Reid, trashed our downstairs TV. It has taken several weeks for me to find the situation humorous enough to write about. Let me preface this story with some facts.Our TV was not a LCD that can be knocked over if a child runs past it too fast. The TV was a Sony Wega 32" display. The TV weighs 176 pounds! I made sure to bolt the entertainment center to the wall studs, but the TV I didn't worry about, did I mention it weighs 176 pounds?!! Also, let me preface the story by saying I feel very lucky to have lost only a TV and not a five year-old boy.
Like most men I made sure to get a TV that fits perfectly in the entertainment center. There is nothing worse than a TV with five or six inches around it. Unfortunately, there was enough space for our four year-old Sadie to drop the remote behind the TV. We all knew the remote was behind the TV, but seeing that the TV was 176 pounds, I put off retrieving the remote till I could get some help. It wasn't going anywhere.
Well, this turned out to be a huge mistake. Reid and his best friend were playing video games and decided to watch a movie. I guess at some point during this process they felt that pushing the buttons on the player and TV was too demeaning. Reid, then said "I've got a plan!" Reid and his friend each grabbed a side of the TV. The plan was to lower the 176 pound TV to the ground so they could retrieve the remote. Then they would let Dad put it back when he got home from work. As a couple Spider Men in training (that is what they were going to watch), this would be the perfect test of their abilities.
So they counted off "one, two, threeeee!" and the two of them managed to pull the TV to the point where it tipped out of the entertainment center and smashed to the ground. They both ran for it. The force of the TV falling yanked the cable out of the TV causing the wires to touch and blow the circuit breakers in the basement and knocked out all the lights. Reid's friend quickly excused himself and headed for home--smart kid.
My wife called me on my way home from work. I had to investigate with a flashlight, but it wasn't hard to put the pieces together.
I felt very lucky that no one was hurt. Rochelle and I watched the news that night and a child died the same day doing the exact same thing. The child pulled a 27" CRT TV over and it fell on him, he died at the hospital. I'm convinced Reid has an army of guardian angels following him at all times. I guess it is time to reevaluate what needs to be bolted down.
