The Twilight Zone Inspiration: Kick the Can

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Season Two of The Twilight Zone gives us a few iconic episodes. One of them being "Kick the Can" which was the 86th episode that aired on February 9, 1962. It tells the story of the residents of Sunnyvale Rest, a home for the aged. Haunted by the affects of aging, Charles Whitely (Ernest Truex) starts to believe that if he acts young then he will become young. A few people are skeptical of Whitely's idea including his best friend, Ben Conroy (Russell Collins) who thinks he is going crazy.

One night Whitely convinces a group of residents from the home to play kick the can with him. A short time later Whitely and the others are assumed to have turned into children. Conroy didn't join them in their game because he saw aging as inevitable, something he comes to quickly regret when he sees Whitely has reverted into a boy again. Whitely doesn't recognize him and runs away leaving Conroy realizing the missed opportunity in regaining his youth.

Recapturing your youth can be a tricky thing. You can attempt to turn back the clock by changing how you look but its how you think about life that really helps you recapture youth. Whitely was right to a point. Thinking young can keep you young in many ways. It doesn't take away your experiences, knowledge, or bags of luggage from your past, but it can help you stay connected to that child within you.