"Today’s piece is written by Damon Lindelof, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Lost.
I was listening to the news on NPR the other day and two things occurred to me. First, only assholes feel the constant need to tell you they listen to NPR (does anyone ever say, “So I was watching the CW last night…”?) and I guess that makes me an asshole. The second was that in the midst of listening to the story in question, I had finally figured out how to succinctly sum up why I write. It goes a little something like this --There’s this ninety-year old woman named Rose who, after honking her horn repeatedly at the school bus idling in front of her, decides she has much more important things to do and guns her Honda Civic around the bus. Before she realizes that the bus was stopped for a very good reason indeed, Rose finds herself watching a freight train bear down on her and almost instantly, it smashes into the passenger side of the Civic and pushes it a good hundred feet before screeching to a stop. Forgoing all the gory details, Rose is pronounced dead at the local hospital and the attending doctor in the ER is tasked with notifying next of kin. Turns out Rose’s husband has been dead for decades, but she has a couple sons and a daughter. The doctor calls one of her sons and his wife answers the phone. The son isn’t home, but the wife offers to take a message. The notification ethics, however, forbid the hospital from telling anyone but next of kin about Rose’s death and so they ask when the son will be home so they can call back.And the wife responds “He won’t be back for two months.” And the hospital says, “Well… do you have a number where we could reach him?” And the wife says no, she doesn’t. And why not?–
Because he’s in space.
As in outer space. As in orbit. As in one of a handful of human beings who have the unique distinction of not being on the fucking planet.
The son, Richard, is working on the International Space Station doing repair work. And as he floats in Zero-G, he is blissfully unaware that his ninety-year old mother has just been flattened by a train.
I shit you not. This really happened.
And what does this family’s personal tragedy have to do with why I write?
Because to me, this is an amazing story. And as soon as I hear it, my brain is already hammering out the scene where Rose’s other kids debate as to whether or not to even tell Richard. The daughter, Christine, insists on telling him that mom died peacefully in her sleep and holding the grisly truth for when he’s back on Earth. Richard’s brother Michael, however, demands they tell Richard all the gory details. Why? Because it was Richard’s fault she was still driving at ninety. Michael’s been trying to get her into assisted living for over five years now and if stupid fucking Richard had just fucking listened to him, she’d still be fucking alive!
Fortunately, I think, the decision is not up to Richard’s siblings. He is, after all, a member of the military, so this would be a NASA issue. And it turns out in their guidelines there’s this thing called the Dual Plume Protocol. The Dual Plume Protocol, or DPP, was officially incorporated into NASA’s Psychological Charter this year. Let me back up --
In September of 2001, the space station was manned by three people -- an American and Two Russians. As they were orbiting over the Northeastern United States, the American called Mission Control to report that he could see (with his naked eye) two massive pillars of black smoke rising up through the atmosphere. When they answered back, explaining that the black smoke was all that remained of the Towers, the American took a long, sorrowful pause and responded – “I wish you hadn’t told me that.”
As a result of the DPP, NASA started actually asking the astronauts who are leaving the planet what their personal wishes are regarding notifications of earthbound tragedies. And this is like, a very detailed document because it covers everything from worldwide catastrophes (i.e. Katrina or a Tsunami) down to things that would only affect the astronaut him or herself (i.e. their mother’s Honda getting pulverized by a freight train) and it must be signed and notarized before launch. Why? Because the emotional state and focus of these guys is critical. They’re being sent up to perform missions on a space station and after spending millions to train them (Richard is one of three people alive who has the skill set to execute these specific repairs) it costs BILLIONS just to get them up there to perform them and the last thing NASA needs is for someone to go batshit with grief on the day they’re supposed to fix the thruster converter thigamajob.
So I’m sitting there thinking how Richard may have filled out his DPP Form…
And I realize there’s no such thing.
I made it up.
Yeah, I remember hearing about the astronauts on the space station having seen the carnage over Manhattan from orbit, but that’s got nothing to do with the story of Rose’s death. In fact, I don’t know how many kids she had or, for that matter, whether or not they can just send an email to Richard (can you get email in space?) and dispense with all the formality.
But where’s the drama in that?
So that’s why I write.
I write because I can’t help but make things up.
I write because I love to tell stories.
I write because my imagination compels me to do so.
I write because if I didn’t, I’d be branded a pathological liar.
Oh, and also because I’m still trying to make my dead father proud of me.
But that’s none of your goddamn business.
WHY WE WRITE is a series of short essays by prominent television and film writers and conceived by Charlie Craig and Thania St. John. (Contact them at whywewrite@gmail.com). I have asked the AMPTP to give me original content expressing its side of the current strike, but the group has declined to date.
These “Why I Write” posts are the most entertaining & uplifting posts on this site, and a delightful counterpoint to the otherwise mostly depressing news that drags on and on and on….and on….and on….
Thank you for the words that have almost nothing to do with our all too worrisome reality.
Comment by zagyzebra — January 10, 2008 @ 7:28 am
That was the first one of those that I actually enjoyed (and could get through without wanting to throw up.) Thank you for sparing us the stories from your childhood and college years and actually entertaining us. Now this is the kind of clever campaigning that gets me behind the writers cause.
Comment by caught in the middle — January 10, 2008 @ 7:50 am
I wish I were as cool as Damon Lindelof. Damn.
Comment by Simon — January 10, 2008 @ 8:09 am
The real story has wrinkles that are beyond comprehension. Rose was a young Japanese citizen when she and her husband and young son were sent to a camp during the World War II paranoia. They lost all their possessions, and lived in a race track stable until they were released. Her son Dan, the astronaut currently stranded in space by a fuel line malfunction, is a scientist and a patriot.
Rose was a woman of unbridled energy, who still worked at a homeless shelter every week, and gardened up a storm. She tried to clean her own gutters. She was not too senile to drive, but she was, obviously, too impatient to wait for a vista-blocking school bus to move across the tracks. The writer’s version has more quirks to explore- but her life, untouched, is epic.
Comment by Janet Dahl — January 10, 2008 @ 8:16 am
Since I cant make things up and I loved this essay/story, where can I read the rest of it?
Comment by Kiana — January 10, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
I think this explains why Lost is so damn confusing.
Comment by Sophia — January 10, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
I read for the drama. That was a delightful, funny story. It almost makes we want to buy a televison in order to watch Lost. However, I’m waiting for the after-strike sales before I upgrade to plasma.
Comment by warrior ant press — January 10, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
That really was turning into quite an interesting story… Good Luck with everything!
Comment by Shauntu — January 10, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
I love that you love to write because you (and others like yourself) keep television stimulating and not mundane.
– another Lost fan
Comment by amelia — January 10, 2008 @ 4:10 pm
Devotion to accuracy department: The son’s name is Dan. Dan Tani.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=101425
Comment by SeanS — January 10, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
Holy moly I bought that whole story. I am not a writer, but I often make up stories about local people in my head cause the stories are much more interesting than the mundane “truth”. However, every now & then a true story is just so much crazier than fiction. Keep up the good work Damon & thanks for sharing your true fiction story about the DPP.
Comment by buckycatt — January 10, 2008 @ 4:24 pm
I hope LOST is amazing this season…and that we get a full seasons worth of episodes
Comment by nick — January 10, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
Fuck me! This kid has a pair!
Woot!
PC
Comment by PubliusClodius — January 10, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
I think I love you!
I am a television Costume Designer…..in limbo.
As I read through your story, I was inspired.
I already had a picture in my mind of how I would dress Rose and the family and made a mental note of where I would rent an Astronaut costume and when I would start fittings for the kids on the bus.
And then your story ended and I was sad.
Sad that I could not go back to work tomorrow and be inspired by amazing writers like yourself.
I sincerely hope that someone can get the Producers back to the table and let us all go back to work and do what we love to do!
Comment by Stuck in the Middle — January 10, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
Nice story.
I wonder though, if Mr. Lindelof loves writing so much, why he isn’t writing now? We know he’s not writing anything for Hollywood, so why isn’t he focusing his very free time and fulfilling burning desire to write on finishing Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk?
I’m just saying, if writing is so intrinsic to his well-being as he seems to indicate it is, and if he’s the big fan of comics that he has professed to being - why is he still keeping his (comic-conscious) fans from reading parts 3-6 of a story he started over 2 years ago? Many of us really liked it…the first third of it we’ve seen so far, at least!
Comment by Guts — January 11, 2008 @ 1:12 am
Write LOST episodes.
Comment by Jack — January 11, 2008 @ 2:12 am
That was amazaing. I remember just hearing about that story a few days ago. I wondered if there was something like that DDP. I still do, but your story was interesting. And since you wrote that, and entertained me, does that mean the strike is over and we’ll get a full (well, full in regards to the new season length) season of lost before fall?
Comment by Jesse — January 11, 2008 @ 2:41 am
Now tie your hands behind your back, stick a golf tee on your nose and still try to type…d’you still like writing?
Comment by Scuffy_P — January 11, 2008 @ 3:56 am
I find this entry so self-impressed and pretentious, that I almost don’t want to watch Lost when it comes back.
Comment by Tom — January 11, 2008 @ 6:11 am
Is there still any chance that there will be a full season of episodes this season for Lost?
Comment by bobj — January 11, 2008 @ 9:01 am
Seems like it would have been a pretty big news story that whether he liked it or not would have reached Richard in space. Hmmm.
Comment by Dave — January 11, 2008 @ 9:41 am
Wonderful article. I could never be a writer, but I really appreciate those who are talented enough to create an alternate reality for all of us.
Comment by Kate — January 11, 2008 @ 9:49 am
Damon, you’re a GREAT writer!!! any plans on completing Ultimate Wolverine vs. the Hulk for Marvel during the WG strike?
Comment by jedimind_rick — January 11, 2008 @ 10:25 am
Good story. It would still be a good story by skipping the “Fucking” (5), “shit” (1), “goddamn” (1), “asshole” (1) and “assholes”/plural (1). On second thought, maybe you should keep the “asshole” part…
Comment by Crewguy — January 11, 2008 @ 10:46 am
Brilliant
Comment by william — January 11, 2008 @ 10:59 am
Damon, if it’s possible, I think I love you even more.
It’s not enough you write for my favorite show, you have to be a candidate for someone who could be my best friend. LOL
Thank you for putting it into the best words.
Comment by Emily G — January 11, 2008 @ 11:08 am
Reminds me of this old joke from the movie “Capricorn One.”"
A guy returns from a long trip to Europe, having left his beloved cat in his brother’s care. The minute he clears customs, he calls his brother and inquires after his pet.
“The cat’s dead,” his brother replies bluntly.
The guy is devastated. “You don’t know how much the cat meant to me,” he sobs into the phone. “Couldn’t you at least have given a little thought to a nicer way of breaking the news? For instance, couldn’t you have said, ‘Well, you know, the cat got out of the house one day and climbed up on the roof, and the fire department couldn’t get her down, and finally she died of exposure… of starvation… or something? Why are you always so thoughtless?”
“Look, I’m really, really sorry,” says his brother. “I’ll try to do better next time, I swear.”
“Okay, let’s just put it behind us. How are you, any way? How’s Mom?”
There was a long pause. The brother finally stammers, “Mom’s on the roof.”
Comment by Calterp — January 11, 2008 @ 11:13 am
I was reading this and the whole time I kept thinking, “I hope he gets to the point.”
Comment by James — January 11, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
It’s a little nauseating that you found this tragedy so entertaining and managed to turn it into an essay that’s all about you. I’m a writer, too, by the way. Artists are sick people, let’s face it.
Comment by Magie — January 11, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
The first thing I thought of was the day I found out that my mom had cancer. I had to make the decision to call my sister down in California and spoil her vacation in a state she was visiting for the first time, or not tell her and have her possibly more upset when she got back.
Of course she wasn’t operating billions of dollars of machinery so there wasn’t that stress weighing in on my decision…which makes Damon’s version of the story more interesting…
cheers here’s to being a writer
Comment by Sarina — January 11, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
I can’t believe the haters on this board. Jealous much? The subject of the essay is “Why I write”. How on earth do you write an essay about “why you write” without making it about you?
It never ceases to amaze me how much we try to knock down the people who are successful and talented; rather than congratulate and praise them.
I for one loved this essay. Keep writing Damon…
Comment by Poopaphone — January 18, 2008 @ 5:37 am