To the Editor:
One of my favorite movies is the surrealistic comedy called “The Bubble Boy.” For those who missed this cult gem in 2001, the plot revolves around a teenage boy named Jimmy whose compromised immune system requires him to interact with the world through a plastic bubble suit. After issuing this spoiler alert, I will reveal that Jimmy only finds true happiness after he leaves his bubble and interacts directly with everyday people.
Regrettably, the lesson of that charming movie has been lost on Jack Fruchtman, who sadly is going to be a regular contributor to The MV Times. Writing from his insulated bubble at Towson University in Maryland, Mr. Fruchtman’s “essay” in The Times calls on all of his fellow bubble people in Massachusetts to combat (his word) “vast changes in many areas” that are “certain” to occur as a result of the last election. Personally I wonder if the readership of The Times wants more essays instructing them on methods to engage in “combat” with their fellow Americans. Does anyone here really want to follow a road map for division laid down by someone whose myopic worldview has obviously been fashioned in the bubble of his isolated academic surroundings?
As an average individual who must wait for events to occur in real time before knowing what is “certain” to occur, I am in awe of Mr. Fruchtman’s bubble, which apparently not only serves to insulate him from ordinary people such as me, but also gives him the rare ability to ascertain the future with absolute certainty. While I admit to lacking that fantastic skill, I do know that I would prefer to read essays from someone who has actual contact with the real world and has undertaken the far more challenging task of writing about ways to reach compromise with those who might hold views that differ from mine. Although I cannot speak for the fictional protagonist of “The Bubble Boy,” I am confident that is the type of essay he would prefer to read as well.
Ronald Monterosso
Edgartown
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