Book 5: Another Way

Episode 19

© by William Arthur Holmes

Dobie thought that would cheer him up — and it did a little — but he was now so distracted by Kaylie sneaking off with Watson that he made distraction itself the subject of his talk. Others might have said screw it, quit the talk, and gone looking for her — and he was tempted — but he didn’t like to leave people feeling cheated.

She left of her own accord. She should be fine. You thought the same thing in Taylorville, he reminded himself.

“One of the most powerful forces in the universe,” he powered through, “is distraction. It is quite possibly the purpose behind almost every electronic device, keeping us occupied, distracted. Harmless. It’s no big deal until it distracts you from your purpose.

“And what is the greatest distraction of all? It used to be television, then computers, now it’s the so-called smartphone. I don’t include radio here because we were, as a society, so new to technology when it came out, we get a pass. As to smartphones, granted, they can be useful and are almost exactly what Douglas Adams described as The Guide itself in his Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which came out, what, 40 years ago now? The man was a genius!

“And, no, all that stuff about Semmy was not me channeling the good Mr. Adams. Maybe he was channeling Semmy? That’s what I’m going with. I don’t believe in channeling. I mean, it happens, I just don’t think it’s wise unless you’re on equal footing with whoever or whatever you’re summoning. If they’re allowing you to summon them, they have the upper hand.