I'm So Stupid.

Let's say you have a really cool electronic device. For me, it's my Macbook or my droid. But anyway, say you have one of these items. You ever notice how kids love that shit?

Every time you see that kid, he hugs you and says hello. He answers your questions about how school is going, or his soccer team, and he asks you about your dog or your best friend. He introduces you to his friends, "This is Libby, she's awesome." You start to think, aww, how sweet! This kid thinks I'm cool! That's so sweet! And then you get a phone call and take out your phone.

"whoa, you have a droid?"
"Oh, yeah! Haha"
"Cool!! Does it have games??!"
"Uh, yeah, it does!"
"Can I play one!"
"Aww! Of course you can!!"

You give the kid your Droid and he plays a game on your phone for hours. You even have a competition to see who can get the highest score. You are officially Cool Awesome Libby. This little kid thinks you are so cool, and that makes you feel so good about yourself.

But you're a fool.

You think that kid cares about you? That kid doesn't give a rat's ass about you.

Your conversations will become this:

"Hey Bobby! How's 4th grade?"
"Good. Can I play Paper Toss on your phone?"

Maybe his parents ask you to babysit him. He asks as soon as you walk in the door, "Did you bring your droid?"

You start to get the feeling that this kid doesn't think you're cool, he thinks your phone is cool.

"Oh, I did, but you know what? It's almost dead, and I'm expecting a call."
"Oh. Okay. Well, I'll be in my room playing Mario Kart."

It becomes very clear to you that your existence beyond your cell phone means absolutely nothing to the child, and might even be an inconvenience to him. You're just in the way of his ability to play Paper Toss.

I mean, sure, Paper Toss is an awesome game. That's why you bought it. But you thought what the kid enjoyed was your company, not just the game.

After a while you wish you never had a phone in the first place.

Now, it's not as though you need this kid to think you're cool. You have no qualms letting him play Paper Toss, or Tetris, or whatever. Because lets face it, the kid is cute and you can't help but give him what he wants. It makes you happy to share, and you don't mind the freedom from the typical enslavement of your cell phone. It just kind of sucks that something so adorable has reduced your existence to a source of electronic entertainment. It would be different if the kid was obnoxious, or ate his boogers. But why give the phone to a booger eater when you can give it to a good kid?

And now, years later, every time a kid is nice to you, you wonder if he is just nice or if he wants to see what games you have on your phone. It sucks. It's getting to the point where you want to leave your phone at home to avoid any confusion.

This metaphor is getting weird... And I'm overanalyzing something that was absolutely wonderful that really doesn't matter anymore.