From the day
Perspective: The Future Historian · Tactile
The rough polyester of my track jacket chafes against my neck as I press my face against the toy store window, mesmerized by the strange, soft dimples and yarn hair of the Cabbage Patch Kids huddled inside. I clutch two quarters tight in my palm, feeling the cold, ridged metal intended for a loaf of bread, but the temptation to save for one of these pudgy dolls is far more awesome than any meal. Behind me, a car radio blares Bonnie Tyler’s raspy voice, the sound vibrating through the gritty sidewalk and into the soles of my rubber sneakers. The air carries a sharp autumnal bite, smelling of exhaust and the heavy starch of business suits rushing toward a future defined by the silent, glowing screens of a new digital age.