I was walking to my local Oregon Homeless Age (OHA) joint on a sunny weekday afternoon. I like observing a certain female bartender there when she interacts with the various homeless men and women who enter the joint and utilize it as a kind of service center. This happens almost every five to ten minutes of her shift. She is very kind yet strict with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nothing much was on my mind. I carried a notebook to jot down some musings but not my phone. I never carry a phone while I am walking or riding my bicycle anymore. I want no distractions. I don’t want to enrich a tech colossus while walking or bicycling or doing anything for recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I walked the last two blocks to the joint, I observed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A young woman sitting at a bus stop. On her phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A mother pushing a baby stroller with two kids behind, talking to her. The mom was on her phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An employee of a hippie sock factory taking a break from work. On her phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A high school kid walked past me. On his phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three high school girls bicycled by. Two were on their phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A construction worker was on a break. On his phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An employee of Mexican restaurant stood behind the counter. On her phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I approached the entrance to the joint. I saw an opened and empty box of Narcan Spray resting on a picnic table. I bet the joint stocks up on the product and doles it out when necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was dark inside. Two people sat at the bar. Both on their phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I said, all of this in two blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I ordered a beer and took it to my usual table. I started writing about someone who had recently disappeared on me. It’s a strange feeling to write about someone disappearing on you when you didn’t do anything to provoke the disappearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All these tools of immediate communication and we communicate so poorly with them, or, not at all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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