Alice in Wonderland

“Where’s that boy? Dinner’s getting cold.”

“Up in his room, working on his video game.”

“Blast that video game! Get him down here for dinner. Tonight I cancel his computer privileges.”

Alice knocked on the bedroom door. “Bobby?” No answer. She respected his privacy, but didn’t want Rob storming up here, so she pushed opened the door.

She walked into a world of spectacular color. Bobby had hung mirrors on all four walls so that every bit of artistry was magnified. The room was a living kaleidoscope. On his computer screen, the colors and shapes were dancing to the soundtrack of a hauntingly beautiful score. Alice forgot about dinner, forgot about Rob’s anger, forgot about everything except the incomparable beauty surrounding her. “I’m on fire!” Bobby had told them months ago. “I’m creating a masterpiece.”

Bobby was designing all the graphics for the game, composing all the music, writing the story line. “Come see,” he begged. But his parents had nothing but disdain for video games. “Total waste of time,” they pronounced.

Now, at last, “Escape Into Wonder” was unfolding in front of Alice. The richness of Chagall, the swirling motion of Van Gogh, the sensual energy of O’Keeffe combined with Bobby’s own unique palette of expression. Impossibly rich reds and blues were haloed by chrome yellows and soft golds. Forest greens lightened into limes, morphed into teals, then darkened into ultramarines. The music was influenced by Holst and Stravinsky with echoes of Debussy and Messiaen. Alice could barely hold back the tears. She wanted to embrace Bobby, ask for forgiveness. But where was he?

She looked under his rumpled covers, in the closet, in his bathroom. Bobby simply was not there. Then she looked more closely at the computer screen, read the story synopsis.  A teenage boy finds refuge from an uncaring world in a universe of his own creation, a world of beauty. And there he was, amidst the vibrant colors, watching his mother with sorrowful eyes.

“It’s magnificent . . . we didn’t realize . . . please, don’t leave,” Alice pleaded.

But Bobby turned away and disappeared into the game.