Task 2

Give Me Your Undivided Attention

As I was wandering the campus on Sunday, I saw an unusual number of couples walking hand in hand where one of the pair was simultaneously talking on a cell phone. Strangest of all was a couple who were both talking on their phones. It’s possible that they were talking to each other, but I doubt it. It seems a shame to waste an idyllic walk with one’s significant other by talking to someone else on the phone. It’s not at all uncommon to see parents talking on the phone while pushing a stroller. Being ignored by one’s parents builds a child’s character and independence, but again it seems like a missed opportunity for a bit of togetherness. It’s just payback when teenagers don’t want to be seen with their parents, a phenomenon you can observe in family groups where a bored teen chats on the phone while the elders point out the campus sights.