2 robots out on the town

This may not be a literary item, the usual purview of Writer blogs, but it does involve communication. Or non-communication, as the case may be.

A scene from an Italian restaurant ….

Valentine’s Day at Zarletti’s, a lovely place in downtown Milwaukee. A small, cozy joint, with warm dark-chocolate walls, great home-made pasta, good wine, friendly help. It’s about 6:30; the place is getting filled with couples. A good vibe all around.

My wife and I are about halfway through our meal when two people are seated nearby. Two women, roughly 35 or 40ish.

They are silent.

Each immediately takes out a smartphone of some type, heads bowed in concentration and silence. Undoubtedly they are attending to things of great importance that can hardly wait.

They keep attending, silently, for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. In all that time their heads stay bowed, and not a word or a glance is exchanged.

Finally, their salads or drinks come, I don’t remember which.

This they look up for.

-- Ron Kovach, senior editor, The Writer

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