When you enter the Twilight Zone

When you enter the Twilight Zone you always wish the camcorder is on record. Unfortunately the camcorder is usually home in its case.

Last night at the end of the storm I went downtown to play at Baba’s. Lights out. Everyone gone home.

I called some friends and they were settling in for the night or already asleep. I went to Hunter’s for wings, Keith’s and a chat with Blake and Steve.

On a whim I drove out University Avenue after catching the first green. There was no one around except a single snow plow working his way by the liquor store. The stores were deserted.

Then it happened. I caught the green at Kirkwood. Weird, I never got the green there before.

As I sailed by Chapters, it dawned on me that I was going to get the green at Belvedere too. I glanced toward the dark fields and the Farmer’s Market.

I don’t remember what happened at UPEI except I got the green there as well. I was in a daze, the white fields and snow banks all merged. Nothing seemed real except the green light at the end of the road for the mall entrance. It stayed green until I passed and then went to red.

I should have my camera, I thought. I could record this and post it on YouTube as a surreal video story of the storm.

What if we set up a site with fellow video journalists and called it Not Just the News or NJN for short? We could cover stories the paper and CBC won’t. Real stories about the real people we know. Post them on YouTube, Facebook and Blogger. That would be cool.

The next light turning left on the Trans Canada was green, good to go. Then the light by National Music was green.

As I turned down at the green light for North River Road, I was in a trance. The streets and buildings blurred by.

Would Holland College journalism students be interested in the project?

The Wal-Mart light was green, then the Ellen’s Creek light was green.

We wouldn’t need a building or an office or any of the standard overhead. Just inexpensive camcorders, editing software and imagination.

The light at Belvedere was looming still green but the walk light was orange. Yes, I passed through. Where was I?

At Nassau a car approached from the left and the light turned green for him. I stopped momentarily before turning right, my trip to the Twilight Zone over but the VJ idea was taking hold.