i am talking to strangers?! what? why?
as my drink was set in front of me, my phone whistled the arrival of a text which explained why my friend was running so late, well, later than usual — traffic.
waitress: oh, i thought that was my phone. i have the same tone.
me: a lot of people do. my little sister has it and she is constantly confused when our phones are in the same room.
waitress: have you ever seen the big bang theory?
me: no, but you’re about the fourth person this week to ask me that. should i be watching it?
waitress: oh, well, it’s great. i changed my ringtone to the guy’s voice so my phone would stand out.
me: that sounds like a smart idea. *wonders how that ringtone is the same as mine*
waitress: i’ll come back when your table fills out.
me: thanks.
as i sat there sipping my guinness and waiting for traffic to clear so my friend could join me, i pondered the possibility of individuality and the way we try to stand out whether it’s in what we wear, what our hobbies consist of or how our phones sound.
despite my ringtone imitating so many others, i was an individual that night. you see, the date was 2/14 and with my friend running late, my solo presence stood out.
i guess i’ll add “unintentional” to the list of ways one can be individualistic.
Abigail Mumford 