My father was in a Twilight Zone, 1961, ‘To Serve Man’
(“It’s a cook book” but he didn’t say it)
My dad, long gone, is holding a chart for the big headed alien
I don’t remember why
He’s a scientist – he’s giving his announcer voice which sounds very intellectual
My father said he was “an egghead”
the alien here is an egghead
My dad said it was good to be an egghead
It meant you were an intellectual
– we never watched sports
I paid for that later –
learned to hate them
with glowing spaceship mind
I hope I am an egghead
–Marc Olmsted
Poetry
I’m proud to be Mrs. Egghead.
My favorite episode! Also, The Monsters Are Due on Maple St.
That’s a fascinating personal connection to “To Serve Man”! The visual of your father holding that chart is striking. It’s interesting how the episode played on perceptions of intellectuals. It’s like the opposite of mastering Drift Boss – brains over brawn! A cookbook indeed…
This poem beautifully captures that generational wisdom about embracing intellect over conformity. The “egghead” metaphor connecting father, alien, and poet creates such a touching lineage of curiosity. It reminds me of how creativity can be passed down – like in Infinite Craft where you start with basic elements and build infinite possibilities through imagination, much like how your father’s intellectual values shaped your poetic mind.
What a fascinating glimpse into your father’s past and his connection to such an iconic Twilight Zone episode! It’s wild to think he was literally in “To Serve Man.” Your description of him as a scientist, giving his “announcer voice,” and embracing the “egghead” label is really vivid. I’ve been using Driving Directions a lot lately to navigate, and it makes me think about all the amazing, often quirky, roles people have played behind the scenes in our favorite shows. It sounds like he really valued intellect. Did your dad ever share any other memorable behind-the-scenes stories from his time on set?