I was
waiting for my best friend, Clare, to arrive. The table was set, the dinner
ready and smelling good, the music was on, the film had been picked, and the
only thing missing was the person responsible for all the fuss… We haven’t seen
each other in a while, so this was meant to be a huge catching up night.
Finally,
after some more minutes had passed there was a knock on the door. I opened it
with a dramatic swing and once we saw each other we started squeaking like
little girls, embraced and then burst out laughing at our silly behaviour.
She wore a
creamy blazer, a red top, and a pair of blue jeans with causal trainers. Her handbag
dangled from her arm, her phone was in her hand. Clare’s dark hair fell loosely
to her shoulders, her brown eyes were gleaming and a wide smile sat on her
face.
“Hi!” she
sighed realising, just as I did, that too much time had passed since we last
saw each other.
“Come in,” I
invited her, holding the door open.
“So good to
see you!” she said when I took her blazer to put it on a hanger. She put her
phone in her pocket, took off the trainers, left her handbag in the small hall,
and followed me to the kitchen.
“How’s the weather?”
I asked while stirring the soup.
“Oh, wait.
I’ll look it up,” Clare answered and reached into her pocket to retrieve her
phone. I tittered and shook my head in disbelieve when I saw she was serious.
“You’ve
just been there…” I remarked.
“Ehm, yeah,
right,” she waved her hand. “It got cooler.”
“Well, fine…”
I turned back to the oven and poured the soup into the plates. I placed them on
the table and barked: “Dinner’s served, bitches!” But her eyes were fixed on
the phone screen and she missed the whole point of it…
“What was
it?” she looked up.
“Oh,
nothing. Let’s eat,” I forced a smile.
Dinner went fine, we reminisced about old memories
and updated on recent news. Every now and then though her phone beeped quietly
and she would say it’s her boyfriend writing.
“Why don’t you
call him?” I suggested.
“Oh, no, it’s
not necessary… we are just chatting, you know.”
‘Well,
fine. Sorry for interrupting, ‘ I wanted to snap.
I really
grew more and more annoyed by these nasty little things. Everyone seems to be
captivated by them. So dependent on them. But what is it about them anyway? Well,
you can be chatting while you’re shitting, now that’s what I call advanced
technology! I just don’t get it. I don’t know. Am I too old for this? I ask
myself despite being a part of the ‘young fast-living generation’.
We were
talking face to face, but somehow she wasn’t there with me, didn’t pick up the
right tones, the gags…Neither conversation she was having in this form or
another was being efficient or worthwhile.
She was on
her phone again. It was like her fingers were glued to it and her eyes attached
with invisible strings. I tried to ignore it. I asked her a question. Silence fell.
“Ehm,
sorry? she lifted her eyes and lowered the phone to her lap.
“Are you
even listening?” I shook my head. “Or you know what? Don’t bother.”
“Hey, what’s
up? Of course I’m listening, I just misheard the question. That’s all. You’re talking
about…your job,” she smiled, obviously pleased with herself that she could
manage everything.
“Yeah,
whatever.”
Clare
scowled and put the phone aside.
“Hey, what’s
wrong? You don’t have to make a scene just because I didn’t hear one question…This
can’t be seriously about a phone. It’s just…a phone.”
I sighed.
“No. It’s not
just about a phone. It’s like it’s
become a new dimension you live in or something. As if the world would stop
turning if you don’t grab it the second it make a sound. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t
mind you texting whoever you like or making a call, but this,” I pointed at her
smartphone, ”is just too much.”
We were
both silent for a while, the meaning of my words sinking in. Clare stared into
the ground and bit her lip. When she spoke up I knew she meant it.
“You’re right.
I…I’m sorry,” she reached out and squeezed my hand. Just when the corners of my
lips began to curl into a smile Clare’s phone beeped again. My smile was
flushed away before it was even there. I stood up and took our empty dirty
plates to the kitchen sink. Then she came up to me holding her phone up in her
hand.
“See, I switched
it off.” She pressed each button (there were only two) and tapped the screen to
prove it.
“Can we
start the evening all over?” she smiled blushing like an embarrassed school
girl.
“No,” I
said my expression firm.
Her
complexion turned from red to while, inside her heart sank.
“The dinner
has been eaten,” I stated and shrugged matter-of-factly. “I’ve only popcorn
left.”
She looked
at me gobsmacked and I was unsure whether she’d hit me or hug me.
“Popcorn
would be perfect!” she said instead and we both laughed.
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I'd also like to add this video :-)
