Fun in the Electronics Section
A few days ago we visited that monument to American consumerism we have on Ramstein Air Base: The BX.
Or maybe it’s called “the eXchange” or just “X” these days. They played the renaming game with our military department stores a while back, and I really don’t know what it’s called any more, but it’s similar to any Belk or Macy’s or Sears in the civilian world.
And I’ve digressed. Getting back on track…
My family started off together in the store, like always, until my wife got lost in the shoes (also like always). The kids and I did what we usually do after a few idle minutes in the shoe section … we scattered and made for the electronics section in the store.
What is it that draws us there? Movies, BLU RAY, computers, HD televisions, iPod accessories, Speakers, PS3, Wii, cameras…??
It’s sort of like Heaven on Earth. We shuffle here and there, we touch buttons and screens, we play things. While my wife is trying on boots, we try on technology, and take it for a walk.
On this most recent trip, my son discovered a Bose SoundLink portable speaker–a pretty neat item. He also figured out that his iPod could connect to it via bluetooth, which made it even cooler.
I left my kids playing their music and browsed the cheap movie deals (you know the ones … 4 older movies per disk for $10, and such). A few minutes later, I heard something…
“Hey you! Yeah, you … that just walked by … come back here.”
It was coming from the bluetooth speaker.
My kids were no longer near it. They were now sitting on couches about 30 feet away, and man, were they giggling to themselves.
Meanwhile, random messages were being broadcast from the speaker. Customers walked by, and looked curiously at the speaker as it called to them, “Hey you! Yeah, you!” or said random things like, “I love video games!” or “Meow!”
Strange, I thought. That sounds like my son.
Then I started chuckling, too, because I realized my son was playing messages he recorded on his iPod via bluetooth to the speaker … a 9-year-old practical joker. He and his sisters were dying, laughing, sprawled on the couches.
It’s true that in many ways I’ve never grown up. Instead of immediately correcting them (nothing lewd or negative was being said), I just sort of hid myself behind the racks of DVDs and laughed at my kids and their silliness. I also laughed at the customers, who, though confused and unaware, laughed themselves at the silly things coming from the speaker.
I wondered … did they think it was the BX? Some strange Bose advertisements? Do they know it’s just some kids behind them?
The truth is that I laughed so hard I was out of breath, but I pulled myself together and begrudgingly told them, “Okay, guys, let’s stop.”
I’m smiling right now, just thinking about it. My kids’ wit and ingenuity always amazes me, of course, it would be cool if they applied it to their chores and homework, ha ha.
Have an awesome day,
Bart
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