Lucy was an ordinary lightbulb. Just your average, 60-watt lightbulb. Another electric fixture in the house. She was very pretty...she had a slender stem, and a nice, shiny white globe, that lit up when you flicked the switch, whose name happened to be Sam.
Sam and Lucy were the very best of friends, even though they had never talked to each other from a distance of less than 15 feet. That meant that they had to raise their voices a bit to hear the other one, but that was okay, because they were still friends, and friends don’t mind if you shout a bit, as long as they can hear your voice.
Lucy remembered the day she moved in next to Sam. All she knew was a cold, scratchy darkness for a long time, then one day she was brought out into the air, twisted into the socket, and lo, there was light. And it was good.
Sam had been there for pretty much forever, or so he told her it seemed. Ever since the house was built. What Sam didn’t tell her was, he had seen many lightbulbs come and go through the years. They would be there for a few years, then inevitably, through no fault of their own, they’d burn out, and the People would come and take them away. He always felt bad, but there was nothing he could do. Besides, he liked all the bulbs well enough, but didn’t mind too much when they were gone. There would be a new bulb. He figured they went to a nice place, where they would be promoted to, say, a street lamp. He was very proud of himself for figuring this out on his own.
But Lucy was different. He didn’t want her to go away. He felt closer to her than to any of the other bulbs. He was scared, because he knew that, like all the other lightbulbs, one day her light would slowly flicker out, and she would be wrenched from her socket and sent to the Place From Where No Bulb Returns. He couldn’t tell her this, because he didn’t want her to be scared too.
Lucy and Sam were very good friends. They shared everything...conversation, a love of the People who lived with them, and even a fear of the dark. Lucy didn’t like the dark at all, and would sometimes have bad dreams about being in that cold, scratchy place again, and would whimper in her sleep. Sam was always there to talk to her, and make her feel better, and tell her that morning would come soon. Sam is such a nice lightswitch, thought Lucy. I’m so glad we’re friends.
Sam was rather plain-looking, as switches go...just a rectangular piece of white plastic, screwed onto the wall. Lucy didn’t mind, though. She liked him just as he was. Sam thought Lucy was very pretty, compared to the other bulbs he had known, but he never told her...he didn’t want it to go to her circuit.
Occasionally Sam was taken off the wall to be painted, and always returned the same dependable white color. He didn’t mind, since after all, Lucy was white, and if it was good enough for Lucy, it was good enough for him.
One day, there was a good deal of noise and confusion occuring in the children’s playroom (which was where they happened to be fixed). Lucy didn’t know what was going on, but Sam knew. He felt a lump come to his wiring. Today was the fateful day he had been dreading for months. Lucy was going to be replaced. He didn’t know why--she hadn’t so much as flickered, let alone burnt out--but this was what always happened when lightbulbs were replaced.
“What’s going on?” asked Lucy, bewildered and a little scared.
“I’m so sorry, Lucy,” replied Sam sadly. “You have to leave. This always happens, and usually I get over it, but I don’t think it’ll be true in this case.”
“Why? Where am I going?” asked a panicked Lucy .
“I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s a nice place,” Sam assured her. “You’re such a nice lightbulb, they couldn’t possibly hurt you.” He was as close to crying as lightswitches can ever be. “Good-bye, Lucy.” I love you, he thought.
Lucy found herself wrenched from her socket in one violent twist, and placed into a cardboard box. She was terrified, and was pretty sure she wasn’t going to a very nice place. Shaking in her globe, she lay for days in that box, wondering over her fate.
Then one day, just like the day she had first arrived, the box was opened. She was quickly snatched from the box, and held aloft. A pair of brown eyes peered at her thoughtfully. She crossed her wires, and held her oxygen-saturated breath. This was it. This was the end Sam was referring to.
A light, tickling sensation, and cool wetness. Red liquid dripped freely. Then yellows, and blues, and even purple and orange. Other colors followed. Finally, the process was over, and Lucy lay in the sunlight, amazed and relieved.
Sam was feeling terrible. Lucy was gone forever, and he couldn’t do anything about it. He gazed at the empty space once filled with her radiant light, and sighed. Of course they’d bring a new lightbulb in, but it wouldn’t be the same.
Sam heard footsteps on the carpet. No doubt the People, coming to put in a new lightbulb. He heard the sound of a bulb being screwed in, then a small hand reached for his switch. He braced himself for the replacement...
An explosion of color filled the room. Rainbow hues danced across the ceiling, painting the walls with rays of reds, greens, purples, and any number of other colors. He stared at the suddenly vibrant bulb, and nearly short-circuited in his excitement. It was Lucy!
“You’re back!” he cried. “How? And why are you so colorful now?”
“I don’t--” she began, but was cut off by one of the People.
“Gee Mom, it’s a good thing you got that new rechargable lightbulb. Now we’ll never need to replace our bulbs ever again!” little Molly exclaimed. “And thanks for letting me paint it too!”
The next day, Sam was twisted away from the wall, and returned several hours later with a fresh coat of paint. No longer plain white, he was coated with splashes of vivid red against a yellow background.
“Look!” Sam announced delightedly. “We match, just like we always did!”
Lucy gazed at Sam fondly. “We sure do,” she replied.