Guest Column: Educating an Old Goat

“Uncle” Harry Patton, Olga raconteur

By Harry Patton

Time to have a good laugh at Dad.

Shows how far behind I am in state-of-the-art kids magic electronic thingys.

Was in the Lower Tavern having lunch.

At the bar was a young guy and his girl friend. In front of each of them was a 7-inch by 7-inch, narrow device that looked like a TV screen.

Without touching it they were doing hand flips across the screen and pictures kept flipping by! I was transfixed! What the heck was it?

As you know how inquisitive I am, I motioned to him to come over.

He did and explained it to me in lengthy detail.

He called it an Apple Ipad (?), with something called ‘Skype’ (?).

Gad! It was magic!! Could do everything! He went on and on!

Send and receive emails, Google, pull up the New York Times, and dozens of other things I thought were unbelievable! Overwhelming!

He said, “Now watch this!” He motioned to his girlfriend at the bar.

She punched a button on her rig and held it up to her face.

It appeared full screen on his rig and they started to talk to each other!

My Gahd! He said they could be miles apart and it would work!!

So I learned about Ipad (?)

If I ever inherit any pesos I’m going to buy two, one for me and one for Anita, so I could see her and talk to her.

Dad is slowly being dragged into the new unbelievable electronic age.

(But I sure miss my 1940 12-inch wooden slide rule) . . . .