When the ‘U’ ran into Pikachu only a few feathers were ruffled. Whew.
I had a unique experience the other day. Unique, awkward, unnerving and a few other things. I blame modern technology. Bah humbug. Especially because I think the kind of awkward collision of two apps I experienced–one used purely for entertainment, one for transportation–is likely to happen with greater frequency in the years to come. And the outcomes may not always be as benign as mine was.
I was waiting for an Uber pickup in front of my house. It was pouring rain so I was a little impatient for him to arrive. When I saw the driver approaching he (apparently) didn’t see me. He turned and headed down the alley next to my house, disappearing out of sight. Then the phone rang. It was the driver. I said, “I’m in front of my house. You just went past me…” I knew he was surely driving around the block and would appear at the opposite corner momentarily. Sure enough, he did. Or so I thought.
Since it was raining hard I walked quickly to the door of the silver car that had pulled over and tried to open it. It was locked. Then I noticed the small, pale face of a scared-looking boy looking up at me from the front passenger seat. “Uber drivers are bringing their kids along now?” I confusedly thought.
Then I noticed there were two toddler safety seats in the back seat. Whoa, whoa, whoa… Something was definitely not right.
I started backing away as the driver rolled down the passenger side window, allowing some rain in. I could see he was a hipsterish, 30-something dad-type and I said, hesitatingly, “Are you Uber?” He stammered, seemingly embarrassed to admit they had pulled over to look for a Pokemon. In the rain. In a silver sedan. That looked just like my Uber ride. In the same place I was waiting for my ride. At the exact moment I was expecting my ride. Oh no no, no no no… *facepalm*
After an awkward chuckle (not much time for small talk in the rain), I saw my actual ride stopped behind the one I’d mistaken for it. I gestured vaguely at it and said something like, “It was a case of mistaken identity, see?” After I got into my “real” Uber I was a bit out of sorts–and I felt bad all the way to Hellertown that I had scared a young child, albeit unintentionally… But I never would have done that if not for the apps that are supposed to get us out moving (yeah, exercise!) and get us where we’re going, conveniently and safely. Yeah, Uber! They got us out and moving around, alright, till we collided with each other.
Don’t get me wrong. Most of the time these apps are great. I love modern technology, and I really love Uber (I’ve never played Pokemon Go, and I don’t plan to). But when two worlds collide you never know what could happen. You might just meet a hipster dad and his son playing Pokemon in the rain…and scare the bejeezus out of them before you’re on your merry way.
