Imagined with Meta A.I
Hmm, antenna problems. We had a box TV, it was coloured though. But did we have antenna problems? Of course!
AIT (Africa Independent Television) used to air soap operas then at 10pm. I remember how I would stay awake waiting, that is if NEPA doesn’t misbehave. For this cause, I that hated sleeping at noon, was willing to have my siesta so I won’t sleep during the program.
When it came on, 4 out of 5 days, there’s something wrong with the Antenna. What I did, as the only child, was to begin setting it from 9pm. That’s the time my mom watches News on NTA. So, I will use that time to observe and make sure that the channel had no issues. My mom thought I was being filial, when in fact, I always had my motive. Let’s keep that a secret shall we?
Anyway, when it was 10pm, because I had worked so hard an hour before, the channel would be clear. So clear and I would enjoy my soap opera unperturbed.
Then, AIT announced that they would be going off air and would only be accessible via a decoder. StarTimes, GoTV, DSTV. StarTimes was the cheapest in subscription so, my mom went for that. Thinking about it now, I lacked nothing because my mom made sure I never felt it.
She got a StarTimes decoder that came with an antenna at the waist. Unlike the TV, this one was quite difficult to figure out because it used signals, and low quality signals meant missing a lot of soaps. This decoder had access to a lot soaps! Even my mom began missing the News at 9 because we where busy watching La Que No Podía Amar (The One Who Couldn’t Love) where I met the first Mexican Love of My Life, Ana-Brenda Contreras.
Image is mine
At a point, StarTimes improved and didn’t need an inside antenna. So my Mom, mi amoroso proveedor, went and got the new decoder. Fortunately, old timers got a massive discount when they brought their old model for the swap.
So, this antenna was fixed outside by an expert, their technician, and I never had to worry about signal except during rain storms and harmattan wind.
Now though, I have my phone. Who needs a Television? Just my mom.
