diff --git a/include/vm_event.h b/include/vm_event.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e039907
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/vm_event.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#ifndef _VM_EVENT_H_
+#define _VM_EVENT_H_
+
+#include "vm_screen.h"
+
+typedef struct {
+    SDL_Event event;
+    vm_screen *screen;
+} vm_event;
+
+extern void vm_event_keyboard(vm_event *);
+extern void vm_event_poll(vm_screen *);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/sources.cmake b/sources.cmake
index 1f2b6a5..2fdb3e0 100644
--- a/sources.cmake
+++ b/sources.cmake
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ set(erc_sources
 	option.c
 	vm_area.c
 	vm_bitfont.c
+	vm_event.c
 	vm_screen.c
 	vm_segment.c
 	)
diff --git a/src/vm_event.c b/src/vm_event.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ca8e63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vm_event.c
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * vm_event.c
+ */
+
+#include "vm_event.h"
+
+void
+vm_event_poll(vm_screen *scr)
+{
+    vm_event ev;
+
+    ev.screen = scr;
+    while (SDL_PollEvent(&ev.event)) {
+        if (ev.event.type == SDL_KEYDOWN || ev.event.type == SDL_KEYUP) {
+            vm_event_keyboard(&ev);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void
+vm_event_keyboard(vm_event *ev)
+{
+    char ch;
+
+    ch = '\0';
+
+    // The sym field is of type SDL_Keycode; this type, however,
+    // maps roughly to Unicode, which of course maps roughly to
+    // ASCII in the low range.
+    ch = (char)ev->event.key.keysym.sym;
+
+    // If we had shift pressed, we need to uppercase the
+    // character.
+    if (ev->event.key.keysym.mod & KMOD_LSHIFT ||
+        ev->event.key.keysym.mod & KMOD_RSHIFT
+       ) {
+        ch = toupper(ch);
+    }
+
+    switch (ev->event.type) {
+        case SDL_KEYDOWN:
+            ev->screen->dirty = true;
+            ev->screen->key_pressed = true;
+            ev->screen->last_key = ch;
+            break;
+
+        case SDL_KEYUP:
+            // Note we do not erase the last_key value.
+            ev->screen->key_pressed = false;
+
+            if (ch == SDLK_ESCAPE) {
+            }
+
+            break;
+
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/vm_screen.c b/src/vm_screen.c
index 54358d3..a5a86a9 100644
--- a/src/vm_screen.c
+++ b/src/vm_screen.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <sys/time.h>
 
 #include "log.h"
+#include "vm_event.h"
 #include "vm_screen.h"
 
 /*
@@ -168,50 +169,7 @@ vm_screen_free(vm_screen *screen)
 bool
 vm_screen_active(vm_screen *scr)
 {
-    SDL_Event event;
-    char ch;
-
-    // There may be _many_ events in the queue; for example, you may be
-    // facerolling on Zork because it feels good. And good for you if
-    // so--but still we have to handle all those keyboard events!
-    while (SDL_PollEvent(&event)) {
-        ch = '\0';
-
-        // It seems we may have pressed a key...
-        if (event.type == SDL_KEYDOWN || event.type == SDL_KEYUP) {
-            // The sym field is of type SDL_Keycode; this type, however,
-            // maps roughly to Unicode, which of course maps roughly to
-            // ASCII in the low range.
-            ch = (char)event.key.keysym.sym;
-
-            // If we had shift pressed, we need to uppercase the
-            // character.
-            if (event.key.keysym.mod & KMOD_LSHIFT ||
-                event.key.keysym.mod & KMOD_RSHIFT
-               ) {
-                ch = toupper(ch);
-            }
-        }
-
-        switch (event.type) {
-            case SDL_KEYDOWN:
-                scr->dirty = true;
-                scr->key_pressed = true;
-                scr->last_key = ch;
-                break;
-
-            case SDL_KEYUP:
-                // Note we do not erase the last_key value.
-                scr->key_pressed = false;
-
-                if (ch == SDLK_ESCAPE) {
-                    return false;
-                }
-
-                break;
-        }
-    }
-
+    vm_event_poll(scr);
     return true;
 }