softlybutwithfeeling | Penance Inbox

I'm not sure I'm ready for that.

Why not just talk to someone in person?

Well, you can. But this way you don't have to.

You seem pretty introverted. How often do you actually want to talk to people in person?

If I don't want to talk to someone in person, why would I want them to be able to send me messages anytime, from any place?

For the satisfaction of blatantly ignoring them while they can't do anything about it?

Until they show up on your door.

Why would you tell them where you live?

So you're suggesting I should be a ghost now, and only respond to people's text.

Or not respond as the case may be.

No. I'm saying technology gives you the option. Whether you take the opportunity or not is up to you.

To avoid or not avoid whomever I please.

Exactly. Now you're getting it.

Still not sure it wouldn't have been easier to throw the thing away when I got it.

I guess you still could if you really want to. But at least now you know how to use it just in case.

I'll be honest, there actually hasn't been a lot of use for these since I got here, but I arrived just before a war broke out and then we got to go on vacation. They might be more useful under normal circumstances.

Or whatever passes for normal in Hell.

To be honest, I was expecting more torture.

Which might be what these are for.

Actually you might be on to something.

They’re torturing people like you by forcing you to deal with foreign technology, and they’re torturing people like me by making that technology hideously out of date.

What's it like if it's not out of date?

Sleeker. Touchscreens instead of tiny buttons. You can use it to listen to music, read books, watch TV shows and movies, and play games.

I'll show you my smartphone sometime, if you want.

Edited (typo ) 2021-06-04 02:03 (UTC)

[He has a hard time even picturing that. Books on one of these seem like they'd be a nightmare to read.]

Are you always this eager to teach people about your technology?

Sure, why not? It's something I can do. I'm good at technology. I'm not a superhero. I can't fight demons or whatever. But I can show someone from another world how to use a Blackberry.