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Text 24 
THE TV BLACKOUT  
by Art Buchwald 
 
A week ago Sunday New York city had a blackout and all nine television stations in 
the area went out for several hours. This created tremendous crises in families all over New 
York and proved that TV plays a much greater role in people's lives than anyone can imagine. 
For example, when the TV went off in the Bufkins's house panic set in. First Bufkins 
thought it was his set in the living-room, so he rushed into his bedroom and turned on that set. 
Nothing.  The  phone  rang,  and  Mrs.Bufkins  heard  her  sister  in  Manhattan  tell  her  that  there 
was a blackout. 
She hung up and said  to  her husband, "It  isn't  your set.  Something's happened to  the 
top of the Empire State Building." 
Bufkins looked at her and said, "Who are you?" 
"I'm your wife, Edith." 
"Oh," Bufkins said. "Then I suppose those kids' in there are mine." 
"That's  right," Mrs.Bufkins said.  "If  you ever  got out  of that armchair in  front  of the 
TV set you'd know who we are." 
"Oh! they’ve really grown," Bufkins said, looking at his son and daughter. "How old 
are they now?" 
"Thirteen and fourteen," Mrs.Bufkins replied. 
"Hi, kids!" 
"Who's he?' Bufkins's son, Henry, asked. 
"It's your father," Mrs.Bufkins said. 
"I'm pleased to meet you," Bufkins's daughter,Mary, said shyly. 
There was silence all around. 
"Look," said Bufkins finally. "I know I haven't been 
a good father but now that the TV's out I'd like to know you better." 
"How?" asked Henry. 
"Well, let's just talk," Bufkins said. "That's the best 
way to get to know each other." 
"What do you want to talk about?" Mary asked. 
"Well, to begin with, what school do you go to?" 
"We go to High School," Henry said. 
"So you're both in high school!" There was a dead silence. 
"What do you do?" Mary asked. 
“I m an accountant, “Bufkins said. 
"I thought you were a car salesman," Mrs.Bufkins said in surprise. 
"That was two years ago. Didn't I tell you I changed jobs?" Bufkins said. 
"No, you didn't. You haven't told me anything for two years." 
"I'm doing quite well too," Bufkins said. 
"Then why am I working in a department store?" 
Mrs.Bufkins demanded. 

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"Oh,  are  you  still  working  in  a  department  store?  If  I  had  known  that,  I  would  have 
told you could quit last year. You should have mentioned it," Bufkins said. 
There was more dead silence. 
Finally Henry said, "Hey, you want to hear me play the guitar?" 
"You  know  how  to  play  the  guitar?  Say,  didn't  I  have  a  daughter  who  played  the 
guitar?" 
"That was Susie," Mrs.Bufkins said. 
"Where is she?" 
"She got married a year ago, just about the time you were watching the World Series." 
"You know," Bufkins said, very pleased. "I hope they don't fix the antenna for another 
couple hours. There's nothing better than a blackout for a man who really wants to know his 
family." 
NOTES: 
 
blackout – a period of complete darkness when all the electric lights go out due to the power 
failure. 
kids Am. – children 
an accountant – бухгалтер 
World Series – baseball contest in America 
 

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