It started with my phone deciding to have an
attitude.
It would decide when and for how long my
conversations or texts should be.
It would decide when the camera should be
turned on or off.
It decided when an alarm should go off
and stir me into action.
It, .... was the boss of me.
I decided that its reign of terror should
cease. I, was going to put the bossy-boots
to sleep.
Armed with money enough to purchase a new mobile
(cell) phone I set off for the nearest shopping
center.
Having concluded that any sort of iPhone was
well out of my price range, I decided to try my
luck in the Samsung shop.
-Hey, how can I help you? asked the friendly
fresh faced young woman in the shop.
She had a really nice vibe about her and
seemed very approachable which made me
feel a bit less stressed about buying a new phone.
-Well, the time has come for me to buy a new
phone because this one(I handed her my old
phone) has developed an attitude with me, I said
and smiled.
-What does it do? she asked quizzically.
-It thinks it's the boss of me so now
I'm putting it to sleep, I declared.
After I had told her my price range she showed
me a few different options.
Including one which was on special and actually
left me with a spare $150 dollars!
-Sold, I said. I'll have that one.
-Great, she answered. She then took my old phone
and placed it next to the new one.
-I can transfer all your data from your old
one to the new one but it will take a little
bit of time. That okay with you?
-Absolutely, I answered and made myself comfy
in one of the customer chairs.
Fifteen minutes later I walked away with my
new phone in hand and the old obstinate
old one in the bottom of my bag.
Deciding that I needed a new cover
I stopped at a shop selling millions!
(well, not really) of different covers.
For some unknown reason the seller
decided to sell a $30 cover to me for $20.
Huh! Nice! I still have $130 dollars left.
Feeling good that I had saved some money
I walked to the car and pulled the car key
out of my pocket.
Next minute what once was a car key was now
lots of little pieces on the ground. Hence,
........ I could not unlock my car.
Back into the shopping center.
This time straight to Mister Minit.
-How much!!? I asked.
A hundred dollars. Geez.
That's an expensive car key.
Well, it had to be done. I gave the Mister Minit
man what was left of my old key.
He told me it would take
fifteen minutes.
I decided to use the time to get something
to eat.
A veggie kebab. Good. Healthy.
I walked back to the Mister Minit shop
to eat my food sitting down on a bench nearby.
Sitting on the bench was a young girl.
I asked if it was okay for me to sit down
next to her. She nodded yes.
Sometimes, not very often, something
inside of me can sense hidden or suppressed
feelings in people I don't even know.
(Believe me, when this happens it freaks
me out and I just want to get away.)
But, sitting there on the bench with this girl,
I just knew that she needed me to talk to her.
Show her some kindness, some caring and that I
saw her.
On her knee she had a fabric bag covered with
drawn little cutesy figures(kawaii anime).
Softly I turned to her and asked her if she
was into Japanese anime.
She was. I told her that my son and I
both love Japanese art. Manga, anime and
movies of varying kinds.
I also told her that both me and my son were
artists and that regardless of both of us
being the victims of copious opinions
by well meaning non artists........
For us, art is not about the pursuit of fame
and fortune.
Art is an outer expression of
an inner experience.
-Where can I view some of your art? she asked.
I was showing her some of my art(this blog)
on my brand spanking new phone when she
suddenly started to cry.
-Art is so beautiful, even more so when
there is some sadness in it isn't it? she said.
-Sadness, in my view is something that can
sometimes tenderize a tough heart, I answered
then continued.......
-I have often found that sadness can sharpen
our ability to truly experience our own
frailty as human beings and I try to
convey some of that in my paintings.
Suddenly her phone sprung to life
and she had a quick look at her phone.
What she did next really took me
by surprise.
-Can I hug you? My girlfriend just texted
me and says that we have to go but I would
like to hug you before I go if that's okay
with you?
With those words she hugged me, tears
streaming down her face and then with
the words ''I will never forget you'' she
turned around and walked away.
I picked up my new car key from Mister Minit.
Ah, so that's why the key fell apart I thought
as I walked to the car.
I needed to sit on that bench.
I needed to assure a young girl who
was feeling sad and invisible that
there are some of us who actually
do see and hear her.
In truth, ..... We all need to be seen and heard
sometimes.
about the images: Top: Photo edited in Photoshop
above: ''Teddy feels invisible'' ink on paper, edited in Elements
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