Spin Me Round

Photo Credit: www.iosnoops.com

Boredom is a terrible mistress. It teases you with the possibility of an idea, then leaves you stranded in the emptiness of your mind. One second, you think you have something brilliant, but then you slump down in despair as you realize the dull throb of an unoccupied mind shooed it away. I was in one of these times as I sat there staring at my phone screen. My body was seated comfortably in a chair, but my mind was bored and tired of wandering around the empty void of boredom I currently inhabited. What was taking the lady so long?

She said she needed to step in the back and make a call, but I didn't realize that it would take so long. All I wanted to know was a simple quote on the item I was attempting to buy. A sigh escaped my chest as I sat there. Some people wandered in and decided to use my shoulder as an arm rest. Their eyes glanced from one item to the next as they maneuvered around my seated form with the grace of an intoxicated elephant. Great, I thought to myself as I watched someone put their face right over my shoulder to look.

If they were children, I wouldn't have had a problem. Kids have a way of not understanding personal space and I would just politely ignore them. But these were adults. I glanced down at my phone screen as their wrinkled hands pointed and gestured in front of my annoyed face. I asked if I could move so they would have a better view, but they said I was fine and continued to make me feel like a part of the furniture I was sitting on.

The pleasant glow of my phone screen kept me company as I ignored the shuffling seniors. Eventually they will go look at something else. There weren't that many items on the shelf. Soon, I popped open the App Store on my phone to look for a distraction from my desperate boredom. There were plenty of little games that could've occupied my time, but none of them caught my eye.

Through my years of gaming experience I had matched so many colored jewels, soda, candy, pirate treasure, diamonds, and every other conceivable object under the sun that I needed something original. It had to be something simple enough to pick up and play, but engaging enough to keep me occupied. As I scrolled down the list, one particular game took my breath away.

My eyes fixated on the little icon and I gasped quietly to myself. No way. This can't be real. I thought as I clicked on it for more information. As my brain hungrily digested the text I was reading, I realized that this was not a dream. Within seconds I clicked the download button, and watched eagerly as the loading bar spun around the orb. Almost...almost there. Finally, within a few seconds, the icon popped up on my phone's screen.

Boredom no longer had a place inside my occupied mind as I clicked on the icon and watched the object load in front of me. It was magnificent, a monument to human ingenuity. The little three pronged dream weaver spun in front of me as I swiped my finger. The beauty of the moment is hard to describe in text. No word in the human dictionary could properly capture the elegance of what I was witnessing in that brief moment.

Suddenly, it stopped. Gold coins filled an invisible piggy bank and I was not yet satisfied. With a quick swipe, the magic began to happen again. Little blue and green swirls melted together into a kaleidoscope of colored wonder as my heart melted at the sight. It...was...beautiful. A little numbered counter steadily climbed higher at the top of screen, filling up a bar indicating my skillful achievement. But, the number didn't matter to me. For once I was not captivated by the increase of meaningless numbers on my screen. Gone were the days when I longed for a higher level than others, or to watch the steadily rising numbers of achievement to satisfy my thirst for purpose. Now, the simple act of spinning this wonderful device left me speechless.

A little, salty crocodile tear dripped down my cheek as I felt the urge to hug my phone tightly to let it know it was loved. Why had I not thought of letting this darling little device into my life before? I don't know, but ever since I discovered it, my life has changed. I no longer feel the bitter sting of boredom in the darkest hours of meaninglessness. Now I have a playful companion to keep me company whenever I am alone and have no other tasks to attend to.

But, I wouldn't be a good friend to all of you readers if I didn't let you in on the secret. Throughout this article you have probably asked yourself, what on Earth is this guy going on about? Well, I am here to say that this particular little game may change your life. It changed mine.

Thank you Fidget Spinner, you have shown me that there is still beauty in this world. With your swirling, colorful gadgets, you have made a believer out of me. At first I believed you were a fad, a short term obsession that only the middle school kids would get into, but I was wrong. You are beautiful. You are the cure to boredom, and a dear friend. So may I offer support to you by telling the great readers of my blog to download you and to experience the beauty of spinning you round and round til the end of time.

Oh, excuse me, I got a little distracted. I think I may have a problem that I don't want to fix. With all due regret and acceptance I must admit that I have become temporarily enamored by the digital Fidget Spinner on my phone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take the app for another spin.