
Alice bounds into the library, just in time to see the tails of Mr Rabbit’s coat disappearing through the closing door.
“Mr Rabbit,” she cries, “Oh, do wait for me, Mr Rabbit.”
The door hesitates, and then slowly swings back open.
A quivering nose peers around the edge of the doorframe, followed by a pair of pink eyes behind wire-rimmed spectacles.
“Alice, is that you, dear girl? How wonderful to find you in the library? I was just passing through the secret door into Wonderland. Would you care to join me?”
“Oh, yes, thank you, Mr Rabbit.”
Alice bolts across the floor and slips through the doorway between the numerous volumes of leather-bound books into a world of fantasy and imagination.
Alice looks around. She is not in a dark hole, tumbling down, down, down, towards the centre of the earth; she is in a large hall.
On one side of the room stands a bank of computers. Children sit in front of the blinking screens with their eyes riveted on the flickering figures in front of them. Headphones cover their ears, making them look like aliens from outer space. Although dozens of children sit in front of a similar number of machines, no one speaks, there is no discussion or banter, each child is focused solely on their own game. The only sound is the soft movement of the many mice across the mouse pads.
“Wow,” whispers Alice, “look how immersed the children are in their games. They are completely transfixed.”
“Yes, they are,” agrees Mr Rabbit, “they barely take the time to blink.”
A happy murmur of voices attracts Alice’s attention to the other side of the sizable hall. A large group of small children are gathered around a central teacher who is reading to them from a large book. Every now and then the teacher pauses, holding up the book so that the children can see the illustrations. The soft babble is the children admiring the pictures and asking the teacher questions. Bookshelves line the walls, and this side of the hall is happy and welcoming, filled with bean bags and relaxed and smiling children.
Older children look through the books on the shelves, carefully removing a book and reading the blurb, before either returning it to the shelf or walking over to a bean bag and sitting down to read. Alice watches as an older girl explains a difficult word to a younger boy.
Mr Rabbit stands in the middle of the room. In one hand he holds a computer mouse and in the other, a bookmark.
“One side will grow your comprehension, reading skills, empathy and imagination,” he says, “and the other will shorten your concentration span and reduce your ability to cope, socialise and deal with stress. Choose carefully, Alice, as your choice will change you forever.”
You can join in this prompt here: https://sooozburkeauthor.wordpress.com/2020/11/13/fiction-in-a-flash-challenge-week-25-new-image-prompt-join-in-the-funiartg-flashfiction-writingcommunity-writingprompts-pursoot/
Here is a song for your to enjoy that relates to this prompt:
I like how the quivering nose of Mr. Rabbit invites me into the world of make believe this Monday morning. Thanks for the reminder to choose carefully! Of course, I’ll choose the bookmark! ((( )))
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Spoken like a real writer and reader, Marian. My youngest son would chose the computers.
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Absolutely Love this tale Robbie… I wonder just how many realise they are already in the classroom, being asked to choose their books???
Great analogy of the choices facing every single one of us right now..
Sending tons of Hugs from the UK Robbie… I disappeared down my own rabbit hole for a time, but feeling much healthier now…
Lots of love your way ..
Sue ❤ 🙂
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Hi Sue, how lovely to see you, I am glad to know you are feeling better despite the lockdown. My UK colleagues seem reasonably cheerful too. Thank you for your lovely comment.
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My pleasure… Sending Huge hugs your way ❤
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What a great modern take on an old story most of us know and love, Robbie. I wonder how many children of today’s world would choose the mouse?
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Much as I hate to admit it Hugh, I think both my sons would chose the mouse.
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I think many of the youth of today would choose the computer mouse, Robbie. It makes me wonder how long it will be before paper copies of books are a thing of the past.
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No books may come about because of other reasons like costs and saving trees, although trees for paper are grown for that specific purpose. I only buy select books now, even though I prefer a proper book, because of space issues.
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Lovely story and timely. I often say these days that we are ‘down the rabbit hole’ or ‘through the looking glass’. Sigh.
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Alice in Wonderland is a great favourite of mine, Jacqui. This just popped into my head, fully formed, when I saw the picture.
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Nice song on the White Rabbit and loved the story, Robbie. One side children immersed in computers and the other side children enjoying reading stories by a teacher. Mr. Rabbit and Alice sounds very interesting. Too good.
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I am glad you enjoyed this piece, Kamal. It just popped into my head when I saw that picture. I enjoy that song, even though it is quite strange.
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Yes it sure was strange but a very nice one too, Robbie.👌👌👌👌
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Love it and sharing! ❤ xo
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Thank you, Bette.
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Great story. Perfect message and a favorite song.
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I actually only learned of this song recently, Dan. I heard it for the first time about one year ago on another blog. I love it!
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Jefferson Airplane was a favorite group of mine when I was a kid growing up. I’m glad you found the song.
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Good one, Robbie. I do hope she chooses wisely.
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Haha, John, I am sure Alice will. It’s her two sons that are the worry [grin].
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So true, Robbie. Yes, I think Hugh is right. I suspect many would choose the mouse, but I’m sure Alice wouldn’t. Let’s hope. Thanks so much for sharing it. Great story.
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My sons would both chose the mouse, Olga, sad to say and despite all my efforts to the contrary. It is how your youth live.
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Alice does know. (K)
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Of course she does, and she will make the right choice. Her two sons, on the other hand, will chose the mouse and that’s a given.
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Indeed it is.
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What a wonderful Rabbit hole tale, Robbie. You are such a weaver of magic words. Toni x
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Thank you, Toni, you are very kind.
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I love this Robbie. What a wonderful metaphor for the choice our kids today face. At one time my grandson would have picked the bookmark, but I’m not sure now.
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Hi Carla, I have noticed that kids go through phases in their development. Mine are both teenagers and fitting in with their peer group is vital. Books are out and music and computers are in. I believe they will return to reading later in life, as I did.
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My own kids did the same. My daughter actually joined a book club in her late twenties.
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I love your story!! It would make a great video for children. (If Grace Slick offers you anything to ingest, best politely refuse.)
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Thank you, Liz. A bit of fun for this prompt.
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Fun with an important message. 🙂
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Interesting conclusion Robbie. And the story is worthy of Mr. Carroll.
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Thank you, Tandy. A bit of fun and the first thing that popped into my head with this prompt.
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Cool… more, more
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Thank you, Annette. This was fun to write.
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Great story Robbie! Great message encapsulated! This could be a short book? 🙂 x
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Thank you, Debby. I’m glad you enjoyed this funny little idea of mine. It just popped into my head, fully formed.
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Well done! 🙂
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Robbie, thank you so much for this timely and thoughtful take on the challenge. I was on a citybound train about two years ago and seated across from a group of young teenage girls. I was stunned to see them all sitting face to face and knee to knee and talking to each other on their iPhones. It made me shudder to see how socially distant they were. Thanks again for taking part. I have just had the pleasure of sharing this. ❤
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HI Suanne, thank you for visiting me here. I’m glad you enjoyed this piece. Kids are rather peculiar with their technology, they seem to prefer to text each other than talk.
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I loved the way the room with kids on computers looked like a dystopian nightmare. Sure many kids would choose screens over books, but they would also choose chocolate over broccoli. That is why you and other good parents don’t let kids make all the choices when they are young and need to learn to read. Your boys are established readers even if now they aren’t immersed as they once were.
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Thank you, Elizabeth. I was a strict parent about reading. They both had to read a set amount every day before they were allowed any other forms of entertainment. Gregory doesn’t read during the school term (other than setwork books) but he does read during holidays when he has the time. Michael still has to read 30 minutes every day except during examination periods.
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My daughter is the same. We don’t let our kids eat whatever they want and we don’t let them have unlimited screen time.
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Well done, Robbie. Your descriptions on both sides of the room were perfect.
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Thank you, Jennie, I’m glad you enjoyed this.
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You are welcome, Robbie.
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Love this take on Alice in Wonderland, Robbie. Technology has its benefits, but it’s also a thief of imagination. Or as the Cheshire Cat would say, “Imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality.”
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I agree, Jacquie. Technology is a thief of imagination and part of the reason for that is the visual side of technology. It leaves little to the imagination.
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