People talk about generations been left behind by technology, but in this clinic waiting room nothing could be further from the truth.
I was the youngest in the room by far, yet I was surrounded by the oldest generation acting like they were the true smartphone generation.
My attention was only drawn to this by a speeding DHL truck that rattled the windows as it raced past outside.
I raised my eyes from my book just in time to scorn the back of the truck and its disrespectful driver. I think the final digits of the license plate read ‘23’.
It was while I continued my truck scorning that I noticed the gentleman sitting in front of me.
He had grey hair, was clean shaven, and wore a light brown leather jacket. His phone sat perched in his left hand, which rested on his crossed legs. And he was doom scrolling.
Yes, doom scrolling and it was so obvious. His overdrawn screen swipe with his right index finger was reminiscent of a painter rolling the first coat onto a barren kitchen wall.
I smiled, and let out the slightest of sighs acknowledging the awkwardness of his smartphone interactions.
Then I turned to my left. Five similarly aged people sat quietly in their chairs. All staring at the smartphone screens. All doom scrolling with the same exaggerated swipe.
I sniggered. It was a little too loud. The gentleman in front of me stopped and looked at me with a semblance of disgust and surprise.
“Something funny here,” I said as I pointed at the open book in my left hand.
He didn’t reply and returned his eyes to his screen and his doom scrolling.
It was then that I realised something. I was the only person in this packed waiting room who was reading a book. The next generation had truly embraced the smartphone in all its glory.
I looked down at the book once more and managed to read not more than five words before we were interrupted by the clinic receptionist.
“Mr. Chambers?”
“Yes, that’s me,” I turned and replied.
“The colonic hydrotherapist will see you now.”
I nodded, closed my book, placed it inside my backpack, and stood up.
As I walked out of the waiting room, I realised that everyone here had one thing in common that day.
Poor or questionable colon health.
An interesting conclusion to draw you may think. But hey when your colon is about to get a seeing to, it’s okay to think about weird shit.
© 2025 Barry W. Fitzgerald