There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. No, it is not the Nature Preserve; it is “The Twilight Zone.”

It’s Halloween time, and I thought it would be great to list all those ghost and horror stories that I know about Binghamton, but then I realized… I don’t know any ghost stories, and most of the horror stories I know have to do with economic problems or the Susquehanna flooding.

You would think that a city that raised the creator of “The Twilight Zone,” Rod Serling, would have some sort of scary fact associated with it, or at least a haunted house or two. But alas, there was nothing that I could think of.

While ghosts are fun, Rod Serling himself is a lot more interesting than any houses that make people feel cold for no particular reason, or things that go bump in the night.

Consider, if you will, Serling’s upbringing on the West Side of Binghamton. He moved here from Syracuse at and early age and then graduated from Binghamton High (my alma mater) class of 1943.

His house was 67 Bennett Avenue (still there today, and next to my friend Toby’s old house). It’s within walking distance of Recreation Park, refered to by everyone on campus as “Beethoven Park,” which I confess is a much nicer name, though Beethoven had nothing to do with the park’s construction.

The carousel in the park was featured in the episode titled “Walking Distance,” (the main character injures his leg on the ride), an episode often considered to be the culmination of all the ideas and themes of “The Twilight Zone.”

For those of you who have never watched “The Twilight Zone,” the show is more than just science fiction or weird stories. It offers a perspective on humanity, and while displaying some negative aspects, still leaves room for hope… damn right, a townie came up with that!

Aside from “The Twilight Zone,” Serling also co-wrote the screenplay for the original “Planet of the Apes,” loosely based off of Binghamton’s East-siders (I made that up), and “Requiem for a Heavyweight.”

Serling’s creations were also the motivation for Disney to construct “The Tower of Terror,” as well as numerous parodies by TV shows like “The Simpsons” and “Saturday Night Live.”

Serling was quite accomplished; he even has a school of fine arts dedicated to him (within Binghamton High School), and always represented Binghamton:

“Everyone has to have a hometown. Binghamton’s mine… For whatever else I may have had, or lost, or will find, I’ve still got a hometown. This, nobody’s gonna take away from me.”

So next time you’re drinking in the Sports Bar with a Baldwin, remember that Binghamton has produced people that have gone on to success (if not more) without their time in Binghamton being spent around Brain drive.

Dan Lyons is a junior English and biology major.