Radio on Radio: Listening In. Jeffrey

Susan Douglas's book, "Listening In Radio and the American Imagination," showed that radio's invisibility allows for vivid imagination. Different people listen to radio in different ways, with some treating it as background noise and others listening intently. Attention spans vary. The radio story tells of a mysterious dinner party where a guest goes missing. The tension rises as the remaining guests search for answers. The story prompts listeners to reflect on how they listened. This is "Radio on Radio." Since Susan Douglas published her Listening In Radio and the American Imagination in 2004, people began to listen to radio in different ways. She revealed that radio's key characteristic is its invisibility. It stimulates vivid imagination that we could see with our eyes closed. She demonstrated that how we listen to radio has shaped people's identities and their generations. People have developed different models of listening. Some people listen to radio as background noise, others listen intently and take notes. Others will listen for other, various purposes. Attention spans differentiate. Think about how you listen to this radio story right now. Good evening listeners and welcome to another thrilling episode of Radio on Radio. Tonight we'll bring you a tale of suspense and wonder that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. So sit back, turn down the lights, grab your snacks, prepare yourself for an unforgettable journey into the unknown. I'm your host, Jeffrey. Our story begins on the stormy, dry, musty night of July 4th, in a mansion in a town called Cinnamonson. The mansion is secluded off of the main street and is the only occupied home remaining in that court. The mansion backs up to a forest of state game lands and is nestled into a corner of the town. A mama bear and her cubs tempted to visit the backyard. The wind was howling, the rain beating against the windows of the four-story building. Inside the owner gathered guests for what they believed to be a simple dinner party with fireworks, a fun 4th of July celebration. Little did they know, their host had other plans for them. As the guests mingled, rather awkwardly, tensions began to rise. Sure, it was the 4th of July, but the guests that the hosts gathered didn't seem to know each other. Each one seemed to be harboring secrets of their own among friends or family they had brought with them. The atmosphere crackled with an unspoken sense of unease. Suddenly, the lights flickered and then went out completely, plunging the mansion into darkness. The darkness indoors posed the greatest fear of any of the guests had ever experienced. Panic set in as the guests stumbled around the dark, hearts racing with fear, desperately feeling around for the companion they brought with them, voices overlapping in angst and raising worry. Then, a blood-curling scream pierced through all of the noise and brought the mansion to silence. Whether the guests knew it or not, one of them had gone missing, vanished without a trace. When the lights came on, the remaining guests noticed that one of them was missing. The missing man was a distinguishable figure, a tall, bearded man with sleeves of dragon tattoos along his arms, neck, and legs. A woman claimed to be his wife and named this missing man as a certain Jeffrey. With each passing moment, the tension mounted as the guests searched for Jeff and fought to uncover the truth of the eeriness of the night and the happenings of the disappearance. Some fled to escape the evil that lurked between the mansion's walls, but as they soon discovered, their mysteries are better left unsolved. Welcome back. Think now. Ask yourself, how did you listen? Did you notice that Jeffrey was the host? Until next time, this has been Radio on Radio, listening in.