The Twilight Zone1959

Edward Hall:
[stares at picture on the wall] Did you ever look at this picture, I mean really look at it?

Dr. Rathmann:
I think so, why?

Edward Hall:
Has it ever moved?

Dr. Rathmann:
No, not to my knowledge, anyway.

Edward Hall:
I can make it move.

Dr. Rathmann:
Can you?

Edward Hall:
Yes. But not really. When I was a kid, we had a picture like this in our house. Not the same thing, exactly, but pretty close. A boat. My mother used to tell me to look at it. She said if I looked at it long enough, it would move. All I had to do was keep looking at it. I didn't believe her, but the idea fascinated me. One night I spent a whole hour just staring at that silly boat.

Dr. Rathmann:
And did it move?

Edward Hall:
[slow response] Yes.

Dr. Rathmann:
Now you understand there's nothing strange about that, it was an optical illusion.

Edward Hall:
Yeah, I know. Except that after awhile I couldn't control it. Every time I looked at that boat, the sails would fill and it would begin to dip. I just couldn't stop it.

Dr. Rathmann:
Imagination is strong in a growing boy.

Edward Hall:
Yeah, I realize that. I realized it even then. But the point is I got just as scared as if it were really happening. The mind is everything. If you think you've got a pain in your arm and there's no physical reason for it, it hurts just the same, doesn't it?

Dr. Rathmann:
Granted.