Page 137 - Herioter 2020

of where you are. After all, how can a
real place that you are used to live up to White
expectations assigned to places within
a digital realm? It simply cannot. It goes Chocolate
without saying that this new digital reality
is distracting people from what actually Tonight, we are watching Hannah
goes on around us. There is a reality, and a Montana: The Movie
digital reality, specifically designed to take and I eat
away from the former. This is not innately crisps, custard creams, cookie dough
terrible; everyone needs escape, but it is bites.
important to realise that there is now no And he eats:
way of knowing exactly what is real.
white chocolate Milky Bar buttons.
However, alongside these theoretical Retreat to the
explanations, there may be more scientific Tonight, we are watching Darkness
reasoning. The UCL Institute of Cognitive Pirates of the Caribbean
Neuroscience found that children and and I eat Rolos, raisins, rice crispie It must have been 2am and I was in
teenagers have a scientific inability to treats. front of the TV. I don’t remember which
focus on multiple things at once. This And he eats- programme I had on. One with a laughing
explains why, often, when a parent track, I think, probably an American
asks a kid to get something, if they white chocolate Milky Bar buttons. sitcom. The radiant lighting of whichever
are distracted, they could immediately I ask for one Southern Californian set was really being
have no recollection of this whatsoever. and he shares. emphasised by the complete blackness
This could also be used to explain the which otherwise filled the room. My
phenomenon which is their behaviour to Tonight, we are watching The peripheral vision was being pleasantly
hometowns. This is because it could mean Godfather Part II overwhelmed by the streams of blue
that if kids are focused on schoolwork, and I eat light being reflected back off the wall
current affairs or any number of the Skittles, Snickers, sour gummy worms. behind me. The photos on the wall to my
newer issues that are prevalent in our And he eats right, acting as prisms, projected a series
society, then they are ignoring their white chocolate Milky Bar buttons. of little transparent shadows onto the
surroundings. In fact, they are incapable He offers one floor around me. The glass panelling on
of focusing on these surroundings. So, which I take. the stairs under which the TV sat was
maybe these young people are not similarly illuminated, giving it a shimmery,
becoming oblivious to the beauty of Tonight, I have listened to The Cure translucent quality that was intensified
where they grew up; more they are and I don’t want to eat by the way each haloing silhouette
focusing too much on real issues, meaning or talk around a dust particle seemingly joined
that by the time they are old enough to or watch anything the next. The sound of laughter washed
start appreciating this beauty, they have except the videos of her around the room periodically, only to
already become normalised to it. abruptly evaporate and be replaced by
pushing my pram and wiping drool off the ambient murmur of the house, a
All three of these explanations make my chin consistent cresting of restful waves upon
sense, but I believe that a combination as she fed me. I am crying, an insouciant beach. To sit with one’s
of the three is to blame. Edinburgh is, and he waits, holding a packet of thoughts in silence is deafening; to do so
in my opinion, a lovely city; I simply with some neutral sound is a delight.
cannot imagine living here for that white chocolate Milky Bar buttons. I shifted my gaze between the screen
much longer. In looking at all of these and the walls repeatedly, giving my
theories surrounding exactly why people Tonight, I have listened to The Smiths, eyes just long enough to adjust before
my age seem to think this, my theory the jangly, jarring riffs that I remember switching back to enjoy the sensation
would be that young people cannot from before I could see of my pupils dilating. I engaged in one
focus on multiple things, so when they out of the car window. of those pre-meditated yawns where
are looking at technology, their main White chocolate melts you never achieve quite the desired
focus is indeed on that. That means that slowly on my tongue effect but rather a prolonged basking
when they see all these incredible places like a summer cloud shark impression. On this evidence I
and opportunities, that becomes the as I remember who acknowledged the virtual impossibility
forefront of their ambition and thanks was behind the camera. of imposing my will on my brain’s oxygen
to their new ability to partake in said procurement mechanism. I felt a more
opportunities, any love for the beauty of ‘Still I’d leap in front of a flying bullet enlightened being as a result. Upon the
their hometown, unfortunately, fades into for you.’ completion of my investigation I glanced
the backdrop of a new reality. down at the coffee table and reached
Sofia Macchi Watts (S5) for the mug, ran my forefinger around
Olivia Wilson (S5)

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