A. Hi Mister!
B. Hi Young Man!
A. Can I ask you something?
B. Shoot for it
A. Are you rich?
B. Why do ask that kid?
A. Your shoes are really cool
B. Wearing these shoes or clothes doesn’t mean I’m rich. I’m doing well and I’m happy with my life. But I’m not rich
A. Are you from America like Obama?
B. Yes, I am son. Good guess
A. Are you a basketball player, you are tall?
B. No son, I played as a child and baseball too.
A. My parents won’t let me join a team, they say it’s a waste of time.
B. Sorry to hear that, maybe you can play with your friends
A. Yes, maybe. May I ask you another question ?
B. Yes, of course.
A. Why are adults so angry and sad all the time?
B. Good question son
A. I thought grown ups are more free and can decide by themselves, and go where they want, eat what they want, and they have no bedtime. I thought they were free. Am I right sir?
B. In some ways, yes
A. They seem so happy when they get married, but when I see some couples they look so miserable and walk together like they are forced to be together. Sir. Don’t they love each other? In the cartoons my mom shows me during dinner time, everyone is happily married and run off into the sun in their car when cans dangling on the back. But when I turn off the cartoons, it’s so different outside
B. Son...
A. And sir. I thought people were happy to have kids and have a family, but they seem to just throw them in any school they find and make them study all day. My big sister is always studying. I think she is turning into a book. She must be miserable too like those people fighting over there about who will spend more time with kids.
A. Isn’t childhood important sir?
B. Son...
A. And sir, I saw the strangest thing yesterday. My mom and dad were complaining about pollution with their friends. I think it’s their friends, they only like their pictures, but they never hang out. They were talking about some thing called warming the globe or global heat, not sure the name. Too many test to remember. I’m just a kid. Then my dad bought a car that needs gas. Doesn’t it cause more pollution sir? So weird right ? Complain and just make it worse. Well, anyway, my dad is surely happy with his car he never drives.
B. Son, I think ....
A. Sir, my teacher told me study hard and work hard and find a job to be happy. But my parents and our neighbors all have jobs, but they look so depressed. I don’t want to keep going to school all day and grow up and be depressed like them. Is there anything I can do to change this? I always ask questions in school and my teacher silences me. I have so many questions, and he never answers them. I would ask in cram school, but it’s everybody’s kids in there. I ask my parents all the time and they say just google it, bummer right. I feel like google is my dad sometimes. He always has an answer. I guess I’ll keep quiet right. No one ever listens or cares.
B. But son..
A. I got this cool APP on my iPhone. My parents tell me to play it everytime I ask to spend time with them or disturb them from working on their computer with the apple on the back, after they come home from work. It’s super fun. Want to try Mister? It’s like my best friend.
B. Im reading my book, you can enjoy it.
A. My eyes hurt more and more, I’m not sure why. Will I go blind sir? I would sure love to travel out of Taipei and see the world one day. I sometimes look at their Facebook page when they fall asleep, so strange. The pictures look so happy and fun and so many people like them. I mean a lot. But it’s so boring being a kid, and I barely see them. Thank god for this APP.
B. Where are your parents now?
A. There in the Starbucks right over there. They have some big projects there working on. Happens every Saturday. I really thought weekends were supposed to be for family. Sometimes on Sunday we might go out for a quick dinner. So I’m just sitting on the bench. My eyes hurt and I feel tired. All I did today was play my APP, not sure why my eyes hurt. I played during lunch with my parents and afterwards until now, not too much right ?
B. Be careful son it’s not good for your eyes
A. Hey Mister, do you have a Facebook like my parents?
B. Yes son.
A. Why people love these likes and hearts? I thought those emojis were for kids. Does it really make you feel better getting attention from someone you don’t see.? I wish I had some real attention. Must be nice. Me and friends just gather in the park and play with phones until the battery dies. I haven’t played basketball or played hide and seek in a long time. My friends in 4th and 5th grade hate sweating. And they are always in cram school after school and then do homework at home, so we never play. Kind of forget what play means. I don’t know mister, but it sure feels like I work the same as my parents. Thank god I got this iPhone and some cool apps, or else I wouldn’t know how to have fun.
A. Hey mister
B. Yes son
A. You know what’s funny
B. What’s that?
A. I just had some thoughts in my mind. My parents always say we need to learn English so we can go to America. But in the American movies, kids are so happy and go to the park all the time after school. I heard the craziest thing too. School is free till college! Omg, it’s crazy right. My parents pay so much and we go to school all day and even after school another school, and those American kids are just having the time of their life. I wonder what APPs they got there.
I wish we were born speaking both languages. Wouldn’t have to study so much. Anyway, just a thought I had.
B. That is an interesting thought son. You are full of ideas. You are bright little boy.
A. Thank you mister. I always have ideas, but we can’t share them in school. Teacher gets angry. We have to take test almost everyday. I mean everyday. I gave up sharing my thoughts.
B. You can write them down on paper until you can use them
A. That’s a great idea Mister. Wow, you are so smart. Best advice I ever had.
B. Glad you like it kid
A. I have to go mister, cram school starts soon, and my dad will take me in his new gas car.
B. Nice to meet you kid. Have a great day and never give up
A. Thank you Mister. I haven’t talked to anyone in so long. I’m happy to have a real conversation with someone. Bye bye
B. Glad we had a chat too. Take care kiddo. Life is metaphor.
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