Time got away from me. A frequent occurrence anymore. “Must place heels down to stop the flow of time.” Thanks to Rochelle, as always, for providing this wonderful opportunity that is Friday Fictioneers.
No Longer Plugged In
My friends hated coming to my house because my parents despised texting when people were present: “Rude and unacceptable.”
My friends lived their lives on Facebook and Instagram, glossing over the ugly bits, constantly redesigning themselves so they were social media-friendly.
Then dystopia.
Without their phones and social media affirmation, my friends wander in a barren world
Caitlin appeared on my doorstep: “I had overnight oats for breakfast with very red strawberries.”
Noelle twirled in her dress. “It swirls.”
Tiffany held a blue martini toward the light: “Cerulean.”
Stephanie raised her dead phone to take a selfie. “I’m significant.”
end
Sascha Darlington
Ooh, phones and social media are the zombie apocalypse. They eat our brains and suck our souls. Good one.
Yes…..I’ve seen the brainless, the soul-sucked….they do not see me because their focus is elsewhere.
Thank you. 🙂
I have the same sentiments as your parents. It’s rude and unacceptable indeed especially when texting is done during meal time at the dining table.
The Catalyst
Thanks for reading! 🙂
My internet has been having blackouts. It frustrates me. I have to ask myself why. Learn to do non-internet related activities, ie writing. But still… lol
You’re right. The biggest impediment to my writing is the internet. I’d love to do one of those unplugged writing retreats!
I’ve done one and suffered writer’s block haha. No internet to inspire. Too quiet (I work better with background noise). It was years ago, I know more about over coming blockages.
Ouch. Well hopefully it was at a place that could provide you with fodder for writing.
Great people. Still fun.
There is hope then after all. Nicely painted, Sascha. And (no pun intended) I like it that it’s colour that saves them
Thank you so much, Neil. Yes. Imagine what people would discover if they looked at places other than their phones.
You sum it up very nicely, Sascha. Not real reassuring. My kids (in their 30s) wouldn’t think of keeping their phones out before. As time has gone on they don’t even notice they’re focused on it when they visit. I have to call attention to it, then they will put them away. Kids of today will not have a memory of a time before personal cell phones 🙁
I think we were lucky in a lot of ways where the new generation isn’t. We still get that human interaction, face to face, is a good thing. I don’t know that the younger generations can be swayed.
phones and social media are supposed to bring us close together, but apparently they don’t do the job as advertised. what an irony.
I agree 100%. Thank you, Plaridel! 🙂
They seem to be doing well without all that. There’s hope.
Thank you, Patrick! 🙂
This really resonated with me. I get so enraged with people when they have their noses in their phones and ignore everyone and everything around them. It is incredibly rude and it saddens me that it seems to be becoming the norm, but I grew up in a pre-mobile phone/internet world.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
I did too. Recently I attended a dinner party where the oldest amongst us had his cell phone out to look at texts and do searches. I wondered if he’d lost some sensibility since he retired. 🙁
Thanks for reading, btw! 🙂
The last line really nails it. They still need the online rituals to live their offline lives. Maybe they find their true significance over time.
I hope so. Thanks for reading! 🙂
How sad. All it takes is something like a sunspot to wipe out our communications. People who work with computers are worried about their children. They understand the problems. Well done, Sascha. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thanks, Suzanne. I don’t see how people can be weaned from their phones. I feel sad when I see so many people on their phones at restaurants rather than engaged with the person their dining with. It’s indescribably sad.
I admire the way they have adapted to the situation 🙂
Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for these social media junkies.
I know, right? What happens if you can’t recharge your phone and you actually have to live with yourself for a few hours? Is it pandemonium? 🙂
Thank you. I do feel sorry for them in that they don’t know what they’re missing!
Made me laugh and despair in equal measure! 🙂
🙂 Thank you, Iain!