Herding the Smartphone Addicts

You know who you are.
We see you, and we shake our collective heads.
You travel thousands of miles to reach our Island, park yourself, and immediately go into your own little electronic cocoon.

Yes, you are a Smartphone Addict.

I live close enough to a rather excellent Coffee Shop, Java Boys, in Wilton Manors, that I walk past the place roughly twice a day.  When you live close to a shopping center, you end up walking through it.  My neighborhood tends to funnel everyone who wants a long walk past the place on one side of Wilton Drive or the other. 

Plus it's just fun to point and watch people.

There was a walk the other day that I was on my own.  Just Mrs Dog and I.  It was the Dinner Hour, so I expected a host of people milling about, but when I approached the place, I had noticed that everyone there had Joined The Herd.

They became Zombies, attached to their little smartphones.  Every one of them outside was head down, concentrating on their games, or their web pages, or their Apps trying to meet someone new.  The other hand was typically hooked up with another addiction since it was the outside smoking zone. 

Smoking in 2012?  Really?  Enjoy being a social outcast and ruining your health?   Ahh ok.   Well soldier on Mc Duff!

Weaving through the scattered detritus of the castaway smokers, I looked into the shop.  Up on the TVs was a program of music, so it predictably didn't require too much attention.  That was a good thing because nobody was watching the TVs anyway, they were all focused, yes, you guessed it, on their smartphones or laptops.

I guess you really don't want to interact with others do you?  After all, they're big and scary!

I will admit I am a contrarian when it comes to this smartphone "thing".  I didn't get my first cell phone until 2003 and even then it was to make sure I could have one with a Florida Area Code to make life easier when I moved later.  I just got my own smartphone, and it is nice to have access if I need it.  I'm still getting used to having Joanna Lumley say from my pocket "You've Got Post!" in the middle of the walk when it is still dark and someone writes to my professional account. 

On the other hand, I usually have a smile on the inside when I see one of the Smartphone Zombies walking along weaving around on the sidewalk, texting to someone miles away and heading right at me.  That would be when I put on my strongest most projecting voice and say a loud "Hello!".  I have just saved another Zombie from certain demise as they would wander into another immovable object, me, instead of off the curb and into traffic.

Worse, you really don't want to step on the dog.  Trust me, you don't.

So when you're on vacation, take a little vacation from the whole texting thing.   After all, you spent all that money to get here, enjoy it.  Or just save the money and text from the couch.  Much easier that way.