Let there be light

Bryce Butler’s wish list? Well, Santa, if it’s all the same to you, he’d like a solar panel and some light bulbs. PHOTO BY JEREMIAH O “Wanna see my electricity?” Bryce asked, grinning.

It was barely a question.

He charged into his room, yanked open drawers, and began heaping surge protectors, extension cords, night lights, clock radios and a power box onto his bed.

Books about electricity and Thomas Edison – “he invented the first light bulb,” Bryce said – added to the pile.

Finally, Bryce perched himself amongst his treasure, the happy 6-year-old king of his own domain.

Quite the domain, too. The walls in Bryce’s room are vivid green; his ceiling is the sky – painted blue with fluffy white clouds. One cloud stands out from the rest. It’s Bryce’s overhead light. The moon hangs from his wall, activated by a pull cord.

Bryce also has a neon pink flamingo, formed from a fluorescent tube. The light was his special request to Santa last year, his mom, Kristy Butler, said.

The flamingo resides on a shelf with Bryce’s light bulb collection. One of them is green and one is as big as his head.

Hopefully, he’ll be getting more for Christmas.

“Bryce asked Santa for light bulbs and a solar panel for Christmas,” Butler said.

Burnt out light bulbs, so his mom won’t use them around the house, Bryce stipulated.

Santa might not know where to find a solar panel, but he can probably handle the light bulbs, Butler said. Even used ones.

According to Bryce, he’s been interested in electricity forever.

According to his mom, since he was about 2.

Which, his dad, Don Butler, pointed out, makes life interesting.

“We go to Target, and Bryce wants to look at extension cords,” he said.

Kristy Butler laughed.

“I don’t think he’s ever asked to look at toys,” she said.

In the wake of his infatuation with all things electric, Bryce has left one blown fuse at grandma’s house, a power bill that sometimes gets out of hand, and a couple of superb costumes.

Bryce wore a lamp costume for Halloween, and he was a light bulb two years in a row before that.

“You don’t just go buy a light bulb costume,” Kristy Butler pointed out, so her mom made one.

“He lit up, too,” Bryce’s dad added.

Bryce’s glow was powered by a string of LED lights, wrapped beneath his costume and powered by a battery pack. The battery pack went into Bryce’s pocket, and he went trick or treating.

“The lamp was a little trickier,” his dad said, “but it lit up too.”

Back in his room, Bryce has vacated his throne and is plugging in enthusiastic demonstrations of his night lights, power box, and blinking pink flamingo.

And he’s waiting for Christmas.

So hopefully, when Santa comes sliding down the chimney, he’ll be careful.

Burned out light bulbs are cool – broken ones are not.

Staff Reporter Jeremiah O’Hagan: 629-8066 ext. 125 or ohagan@scnews. com.