The Engleson Files

Now, I am going to start with a bit of an obscure song but it is one that has had a very lasting effect in my memory; the song is In the Year 2525 by Zager and Evans, and simply put, this song scared the crap out of me as a young child. I have very vivid memories listening to this song while driving to and fro in our family Volvo and I can remember being scared by its haunting tone and, even though I was too young to fully understand its meaning, I definitely got a sense of doom from the lyrics. Now, this song scared me so much that I began to have nightmares about it and I can remember one in particular that re-occurred many times during my childhood. The dream went something like this: I was walking down the street I lived on in Penticton at dusk and, for some reason, was carrying two bags packed-full of garbage; the streets were quiet and no one else was in sight. Then, way off in the distance (coming from the West) I heard the horrible sounds of a large monster screaming at the top of his lungs, and then suddenly from over a mountaintop King Kong emerged and started trampling over everything in his sight. I knew he was coming after me and I ran to my house in terror, but it was locked and no one was home. Screaming, I ran down the block to the Flinstones house and hid underneath their large stone couch. Fred and Wilma were home but were hiding in their bedroom - believe me when I say there were no Yabba-dabba-do’s on this night! - everyone was in sheer panic. As I hid underneath their couch, I could feel the tremendous footprints of King Kong getting closer and I knew he was very close to finding me - and then as I braced myself for King Kong’s arrival the song In the Year 2525 began to play over the Fred’s stereo (which was smokin’ by the way) and I began to scream…It was usually around this time that I woke up and Mom and Dad had to come running into my bedroom to calm me down. I had this dream many times as a young child but usually got no further into it once the song began. Even as I listen to it now I instinctively look for the Flinstones house and pray that King Kong is not coming to find me.

So, that’s where I was, where were you?