The box sat in the center of the living room like a monolith from a future Arthur had never asked for. 4K Ultra HD. Smart capabilities that, according to the salesman at Best Buy, were "more intuitive than a human brain."

The first thing he watched was an old nature documentary. On this 60-inch canvas, a leopard’s spots weren't just dots; they were individual hairs. The blue of the ocean was so deep he felt like he might drown if he sat too close.

Arthur looked at his old 32-inch tube TV, now shoved into a corner. It had been his companion for twenty years. It didn’t have "apps" or "voice control." It just had a hum and a warm, fuzzy glow that felt like home. But the world had moved on. His grandkids had laughed at the graininess of his Sunday football games, and the "Best Buy" flyer on the kitchen table had felt like a summons.