It was a very glorious and invigorating morning for me and I was breathing a sigh of relief because my last assessment got over the day before.

So I decided that I would watch movies, play games and sleep a lot as I was having sleepless nights due to exam stress.

When I was on the breakfast table, my father told me that he wanted to go for some grocery shopping and to the bank as he had to transfer some money. He asked me to go with him.

First, I got annoyed as I had lots of plans, but then I had to go with him as I didn’t want to say no to him.

First we went for grocery shopping to a nearby superstore. There were so many people and a long queue on the billing counter, it took us more than two hours to finish shopping there. Then we proceed to the bank, where again there was a long queue and I got really frustrated.

On our way back, I couldn’t resist myself and asked Dad why he didn’t activate his internet banking and did his work while sitting comfortably at home?

“What’s the need for that,” he asked.

“Well, then you won’t have to spend hours here for things like these. You can even do online shopping. You can get everything at home by just clicking, even the grocery! Everything will be so easy,” I explained to him.

He asked, almost surprised, “You mean if I do that, I wouldn’t have to go out of the house?”

I explained to him how everything can be delivered at our doorstep now. But what he said to me next left me speechless.

“Since I entered this bank, I have met five of my friends. I have chatted a while with the staff as they know me very well by now. You know at my age, I enjoy the company of people. The youngsters, like you people, don’t spend time with us as they are too busy in their online world. Thus their parents become lonely and need company. And to get this company and human interaction, I like to get ready and go to the bank, mall and grocery shops. I have enough time and it is the physical presence of others that I crave for and I never get tired of these long queues.

“Two years back when I got sick, the storekeeper I buy fruits and vegetables from, came to see me because he became worried for me when he didn’t see me for days.

“A few days back when your mum fell down on the road while on her morning walk. Our local grocer saw her and immediately came for her help. He quickly brought his car to rush her home as he knew where we live.

“Now you tell me my son, would I have that human connection with others, if everything became online? I would never want everything to be delivered at my doorstep, leaving me to only interact with just my computer or mobile phone screen.

“I like to know the person that I am dealing with. I love to create bonds with people. Technology is not life my son! Spend time and create bonds and relationships with people not with devices,” dad finished off just as we reached our gate.

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 9th, 2021