About a month ago, Tyler and I were at my mom and dad's to celebrate my birthday. Where was Ron, you ask. Out of town. Again. It was the second year in a row that he was out of town on my birthday. Don't think he didn't hear about it. Anyway, we were waiting on Kate to arrive so Tyler sent her a text message to determine her ETA. My dad became fascinated by this new fangled method of communication, so he asked Tyler to show him how to do it. It was quite a sight. Dad has macular degeneration, which basically means he's losing his sight. It's a wonder he could even see the keys. After about three minutes of patient instruction, he had completed his message. "Hi. Love, Papa." Once he'd hit the send button his face lit up like a six year old who had just read his first book all by himself. "I did it!" It was absolutely priceless.
My mom, on the other hand, is a complete and total technophobe. Anything that is not human is regarded as suspicious and a possible threat to her daily existence and the survival of mankind. She's never used an ATM, never pumped her own gas. When dad's going to be out of town she makes him turn off his computer because it makes a little hissing sound and she's afraid it's going to start talking to her. She was not at all pleased to know that her name could be googled and produce four results. Now, don't get me wrong. She is very intelligent, well read and pays close attention to the stock market. She just gets the heebie jebbies when it comes to anything automated. (She does, however, know how to get messages off the answering machine.) But the times, I think they are a changin'. She was recently elected as secretary of the church women's group and since she doesn't have a typewriter, she'll have to learn how to use the computer. She was a little less apprehensive when I assured her the the computer keyboard had the same keys as a typewriter and that they were in the same order. Twenty bucks says she writes the minutes out long hand.
Oh, guess what? I have that refund check from Toyota in my hot little hand. Hurray!
1 comment:
that's hilarious. i love it.
we watched some of wanda sykes stand-up last weekend and she had a bit about getting emails from her parents. she's like, "by the third blank email, i just pick up the phone." "Hi mom." "OOHHH! Hi dear. I was just getting ready to email you!" "i know.."
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