While searching job sites on her notebook computer at Purgatory, Francine is interrupted by the only other patron, a white man in his forties whose dark hair is sprinkled with gray and who wears a navy blue jacket, a rumpled blue and white buttondown shirt that resembles a picnic blanket in its checked pattern, and brown slacks. He also wears shoes and socks and presumably underwear as well, of course, but let's end the description and cut to what he says, which is "Are you on Facebook?"
"Uh, no," Francine says, then after an awkward period of silence, "I mean I am on Facebook, but I'm not on it right now. Is that what you meant?"
"Yes."
After another awkward period of silence, Francine asks, "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you ask me if I was on Facebook? Were you going to friend me or something in an effort to hit on me? I'll tell you now that in general that's not too successful a dating strategy, though guys try it all the time. In my case, I have a boyfriend already. But even if I didn't, I and every other woman know that the guy who does that has probably emailed ten other women the same way the same day."
Eve chimes in from behind the counter, "Down, Francine. He's harmless. Please don't scare off one of our few other customers."
"Sorry, Eve," Francine says, then turns back to the man, "So, why'd you ask?"
"Oh! No reason really. It just seems like everyone's on it nowadays. I'm not though. That's why I talk to people in coffeehouses," the man says, taking a drink of coffee.
"Well, at least you don't poke them," Francine laughs.
"Pardon me?"
"Sorry, a little Facebook humor. You see there's this feature where . . . oh, never mind," Francine says, then quickly takes a drink of coffee and goes back to working on her computer.
The man starts rambling, "I noticed that ever since Facebook got popular, no one sends personal emails anymore. I suppose they all communicate on there, but I haven't had an email from a friend in months. I used to get lots of them. But since almost everybody went on Facebook, they've dwindled over the years. It's like the people on there forgot about everybody who isn't on there. I used to get all sorts of party invitations via email. Now I couldn't tell you the last time I was invited to a party. I feel like I don't have any friends anymore."
Francine coughs and looks up, "Why don't you join Facebook then?"
The man shudders, "Are you kidding? That thing's for idiots!"
Blog Love Omega Glee is a novel by Wred Fright about two bloggers who fall in love while the world falls apart, which is being serialized on his blog. To start reading from the beginning or read another installment, please visit Blog Love Omega Glee Central on WredFright.Com. If you like what you've read, or you've read all of Blog Love Omega Glee and want more Fright, then please read his first novel.
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