Technological Courtship

What in the world is happening? I can remember long ago, some fifty-five to sixty years ago-I discovered boys. All my young friends and I were deeply involved in getting the attention of the boys around us. We would splash on the Evening in Paris ( from the magical, stormy blue bottle.) We would flip our ponytails, flutter our eye lashes, smile our sweetest smiles, and try to have a charming conversation to entice the young men to spend time with us.
     Sadly, I guess this activity is vanishing. My husband and I observed a young couple come in Wendy's today. They were like typical young people from my youth except for one thing--they each had a cell phone. As they waited for their orders, each one had their head buried in their phone. We saw them get their food, eat, and never once look at each other,never smile sweetly, or never say one word to each other!
     We were amazed that their eyes never met to convey admiration, their hands never brushed to feel the tingle of butterflies, or any words spoken to touch the heart of the other. "So sad," I thought. They are missing the joyous feelings of courtship.
I wondered if they had ever played Spin-the-Bottle- my first realization of games that brought so much excitement and fun. Another little game I played a time or two when I was a young teenager, I approached a male classmate and held up a dime, "I'll bet you a dime that I can kiss you without ever touching you."
     "uh-h--O.K." he stammered.
     I tip-toed and place a smack on his cheek. Then I took his hand and placed the dime in it, "I lose!"   I giggled and ran away to join my young girl friends- leaving him with a startled, shell-shocked grin on his face.    (1959)
Oh, young friends, get rid of those phones! You don't know what fun you are missing.