Friday 19 July 2019

Is This Melancholy?

I had kind of a sad moment this week, probably my first major experience of feeling like "kids these days" are missing out.

I was speaking to one of the lovely children in my life and they were telling me how they saved up their money to buy a particular doll.  (Maplelea?)  I asked if she could guess what the first thing was that *I* saved up my money as a kid to buy! 

No, not a stuffie.
No, not a doll.
No, not whatever the third guess was going to be, I interrupted and said "you know?  I'm not sure you'll actually know what this thing is!"

Walkie talkies!  I said, excitedly.  Because damn if they weren't the coolest thing.  I was so so so excited to buy my first set, Fisher Price I believe, but "toy" walkie talkies anyway... not much range, but still, so cool. 

I asked if she knew what a "walkie talkie" was and she said no, so I gave a little explanation of what they were and how you used them and she said "but, why didn't you just use your phones?" and my heart sank.

I explained that we didn't have cell phones "back then" and that we didn't even have phones that came off the wall (cordless.)

She didn't seem all that impressed and I was so sad.  Walkie talkies were the bomb.  We had so much fun with them, playing and imagining and feeling like.... I don't even remember, but I STILL think walkie talkies are cool.  Yes, even with a smart phone in my pocket.

I know I could go ahead and buy her a set and maybe she'd enjoy them just as much as I did (she and her sibling do not yet have cell phones of any kind) (and actually, maybe I'll consider that for Christmas or next birthday or something?!) but it really made me feel sad for the things that "kids these days" might just be missing out on because of "technology."

And, yes, I'm aware that there's probably something every generation that the "elders" go "oh dear, that technology is ruining the young folks"... but....

Sigh.  "Why didn't you just use your phones?"

Ouch.

4 comments:

Jonathan said...

And of course, Walkie Talkies work without a phone signal :)

Victoria said...

THEY ARE SOOOOOOO COOL!!!!!

Jason Langlois said...

My son enjoyed them when he was younger, but now that he's got a phone, he's far less impressed.

Victoria said...

Aw man! :/