Campfire Girl

Campfire Girl

WC 300

The circle became bigger with Sally. Canvas chairs moved aside and she placed hers beside John’s.

“What are you playing?” she asked John.

“I don’t know. Some dumb game Mike found online. You have to get cavemen around a fire and then add them to your clan. Then those clansmen have to try to attract other cavemen to your fire. The more cavemen around your fire the more points you get. Kinda lame.” John turned his attention back to his cellphone screen and hurriedly moved cavemen back and forth.

Sally glanced at the rest of the circle. Everyone had their heads down, thumbs busily moving cavemen back and forth. No sounds but grunts and groans. Maybe the occasional shout of ‘Yeah!’ and “Gotcha!’. But nobody talked to each other. She sighed and stood up, gathered her chair, and tapped John on the shoulder.

“I’m gonna go home.”

“What? You just got here.”

“Yeah, well I thought we were doing a campfire. This isn’t fun for me. You’re just doing a weird game. I’m going home to curl up on the couch with a blanket.”

“Okay, well, see ya later.” John turned his attention back to his device.

Sally walked to her car, turned around and looked one more time. The circle looked like a campfire, but the lights flickering came from all the cellphones, not from any fire.

‘How sad,’ she thought to herself. Sally picked up her cell phone and called Jane.

“Hey Jane! Can you come over to my house?”

“Sure thing. What’s up?”

“Just feeling kind of sad. Can you stay over and talk? No phones!”

“You bet. Be there in a few.”

Sally drove the few miles home. Lights welcomed her as she entered. It would be a good night after all.