A Modern Addiction: The Dangers Of Smartphones

Posted on May 22, 2013 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette
Ham hock and artichokes

Ham hock and artichokes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Old Soldier (that’s me) did some food shopping in Little Italy earlier today.  Even though it’s Spring, the Summer-like weather keeps coming hot and sunny.

I walked to the supermarket and picked up a jar of olives, a block of provolone cheese and a ham hock to put in my freezer for later when I decide to cook up a mess of lima beans in my crock pot.

During my walk to, through and back from Little Italy, I must have seen three dozen people staring at, listening or talking to, or texting on their smartphones.

Some of these people were standing in one place.  Some were jogging.  Others were walking and a few of them were driving.

Addiction Biology

Addiction Biology (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Old Soldier doesn’t own a smartphone.  I know smartphones are useful and for some people they are necessary.  I know smartphones can save lives.

I’m just relaying what I saw on my walk through Little Italy.

*****

The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a blog of sexuality and creative writing.

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Orange Crush, Cooked Salami And Spring In Little Italy

Posted on May 20, 2013 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette
This image shows a salame.

This image shows a salame. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Old Soldier was on duty at 6:00 a.m.  I did some blogging and then hit the streets to do some food shopping.

I’ve been eating the ham and lima beans that I cooked in my crock pot for several days now.  So, I wanted a change.  I had everything I needed to make sandwiches except for the lunch meat.

I walked through Little Italy.  It was around 8:30 a.m.  The day was sunny and warm already.  Not many people out.  I’m retired and I have to remind myself that most people are at work.

As usual, my writer’s sensibilities were absorbing as much as they could.  Even though I walked through the business district, most of the businesses had not opened yet.

But the supermarket was open.

I bought a plastic bottle of Cherry Pepsi and a plastic bottle of Orange Crush, a box of boil-in-the-bag enriched rich and a pound of cooked salami.

Then I had a pleasant walk back to my apartment and I was ready to get back to work.

*****

This flash fiction blog is published near the University of Pittsburgh.

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Baby Boomer: The Streets Are Alive In Little Italy

Posted on May 18, 2013 by pittsburghflashfictiongazette
Mellon Arena in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Mellon Arena in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Old Soldier just came back from a walk through Little Italy here in Pittsburgh.  The sky is blue with only a few puffy-white clouds and it’s around 80 degrees.  Many other people are enjoying the weather.

The business district on Liberty Avenue in Little Italy is about ten blocks long.  Here you will find restaurants, bars, an art gallery, a car dealership, two bookshops, a beer distributor, a butcher shop, a tobacco store, a pharmacy, a supermarket, a hospital, a bakery and other businesses.

I stopped in at the art gallery to see if they had any paintings of Anthony (Tony) Cacalano.  I met him in Armand’s.  He’s made a living at painting.  He’s around my age. 

The staff at the gallery said his paintings where on the wall of a restaurant down the street.  Even though the restaurant was not open for business, it was okay for me to look at his paintings.

Then I walked down to Armand’s.  Tony wasn’t there.  But Patrick, the owner of the bakery, was there.

I had a beer and talked to Patrick and then I got a six-pack of beer to go and walked back to my apartment, enjoying the Summer-like weather.

I felt lucky to be retired, in good health and a writer, too.

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