When my grandson was a small boy I watched him playing video games one day on what I assumed was an X-box. I asked him what was the object of the game and he told me “To kill as many people as you can.”

The makers of these games and the movie and television people have done a remarkable job of bringing this carnage to life on the screens. I must say it’s very realistic with pieces of bone and blood and gore everywhere. It’s almost a how to do it video.

But I would like to tap your talents to show your clients the effect that sudden death has on someone.

Let’s see how real you can show the emotions that come out when some nut case shoots up a theater or a school. Let’s see if you can make the people viewing your stuff — that’s being kind — feel the loss and the grief when someone’s brother, sister, mother, father, baby are suddenly killed. Let’s see if you can show us what happens to the person, next to the person shot in the head, who survives. We don’t want to just see people killed we want to see how their friends, family and witnesses feel about it.

I’ve been there countless times as a firefighter. It’s made me cry.

Let’s see if you can make your customers cry and then when and if they put that stuff away in the closet — again being kind — I will say job well done.

And by the way, none of it is age appropriate.

Mike Holst

Crosslake