Dig This

Two walls covered with mural from short film, "Doodle"
directed by Charles Frank.

I spent five hours sequestered in a 14 foot x 14 foot room today.  It started innocently.  I thought I would straighten the bed covers in my son’s room.  Then, I thought to pick up a few pieces of paper that had fallen behind his desk. I noticed his bulletin board was crooked.  After knocking it down while striving to straighten it, I decided to regroup, repin and reorganize the bulletin board’s display.  I took several phone calls while lying on my son’s Tempurpedic-like mattress.  The respite allowed me a view of his bookshelves that were so cluttered that the books were no longer in evidence.  It took me at least thirty minutes to rework them, discovering as I did so, two overdue library books for my effort.  More calls, more contemplation.  When I hung up the next time, I headed into the bathroom for a fistful of wipes.  I started wiping down every surface that was not wood or fabric with Chlorox wipes.  There was more dust than I thought possible.  I found myself unable to stop my instinct to empty, sort, and discard.  Every shelf, cabinet and notebook was purged using my  well-honed organizational skills.  It wasn’t until the fourth hour that I realized my kinship with an archeologist.  As I dug through layers of electronics, bric-a-brac, balls and schoolwork, I moved back through time, arriving, abruptly in 2008.  I believe I arrived at  that juncture because it was the last time that my son’s room had been completely, utterly, devastatingly deconstructed.  

Elevated by their congruence, three cameras from
Charles's past.

The last hour of the five was dedicated to putting things back into the room.  Now it follows a clear floor plan; a section is dedicated to film equipment and boxes for said equipment.  There is an electronics station, a desk, a bed and a newly acquired papasan  chair in which to read, chill and listen to music.  The closet claims an entirely separate zip code.  All in all, it was a productive effort.

I hope he will think so!