When I was about 14, I started reading every Stephen King novel I could. Terrified, I would read long into the night and then, would have to sleep with the lights on. These books have a way of making one look at ordinary items as possible demons in disguise. Because of these books, I will never look at a tub, a clown, or even something as mundane as a fire extinguisher without an inexplicable feeling of dread. We may not encounter monsters every day, but all of us encounter everyday objects that King transforms into terrifying possibilities.
Over the weekend, I was thinking about the novel, The Dead Zone, and its film adaptation. It stars Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith, a teacher whose life takes a horrible turn when he is involved in a near-fatal car accident. This accident leaves him in a coma for a number of years. When he awakes, he finds that he can see the future when he comes into physical contact with others. There are several incidents in the book where these visions result in saving someone's life, and even catching a serial killer. One would think this is a blessing, however it turns into a moral and ethical nightmare, as some of the visions are inaccurate. Smith's character faces unwanted attention because of these incidents, and it makes him somewhat reclusive. That is, until he meets a certain candidate running for president. When he shakes this man's hand, he sees a future that is threatened by the candidates' megalomania. Smith sees this man with his hand on the nuclear buttons. Is Smith's vision accurate? Is it worth the risk?
I won't ruin the ending for you, but I feel this is one of King's most electrifying novels. Ironically, it seems to have a weird foreshadowing of a "handful" of current events. This book was written in 1979, long before we were overwhelmed by media, secret tapes, missing emails, and televised debates that devolve into a disgraceful discussion on genital size and blatant ignorance of the contents of our constitution. One can almost see the future implications of such behavior. Sadly, we have seemed to become immune to the ugliness of the words that we hear and the hatred we see.
Tomorrow is election day. I wish we could all see into the future as we visit our polling places. We have had many more indications and hints at our fingertips—none having to do with the supernatural. How will we feel when the future unfolds? Will we wish we had stood up for the rights and feelings of others as well as our own?
