Cass Grocery's Wifi Password was "NattyLight1810"

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been over six years since I blogged here. I do apologize. For those of you who have read, purchased, reviewed, loaned out or spread the word about my book, I am forever grateful. I have sold thousands of copies and had folks from as far away as California contact me about how much they enjoyed it. When I wrote "Reflections," I had no aspirations that it would sell very well. The world is so tied to the smartphone and Instagramming their lunch choices, I figured only my friends and family would be interested.

I was wrong. (even my kids, Elizabeth and Anderson, point to the cover and say "Daddy." They cannot read yet. Worry not, they are only four and two years old....not Auburn fans.)

Speaking of Instagram, I read an article this week that really hit home. The author had gone on a Caribbean cruise with a group of friends, all thirtysomethings, fully equipped with smartphones and detailed itineraries. As the trip unfolded and the group took part in excursions included in the trip,  the author noticed an alarming trend.

Rather than enjoy the natural beauty of the islands and company of the people standing RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, these people were more concerned with getting the perfect picture to share on Instagram. In fact, members of the group made it a point to find spots to take multiple pictures of themselves, doing thirty-plus takes and poses to ensure the best picture to upload. Some of them even coordinated outfits for the occasion to be sure they looked a certain way for their followers. The shallowness of this makes my skin crawl. In fact, there are only five things that make my skin crawl more:

1) Strawberry Lemonade Natty Light (No. Just no.)
2) Trying to finish a drop set on the bench press and Florida Georgia Line comes on at the gym
3) "Touchdown, Auburn."
4) Walking through a spider web in the dark
5) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Never mind the gorgeous waterfall or one of the Caribbean's amazing sunsets. Never mind a genuine smile or a spontaneous moment of happiness. How can you soak in a breathtaking mountain view looking through a screen and clicking? You cannot. No, let's be sure to stage it, kick out a fake smile 37 times and validate ourselves through "likes" of people who are not even present on the trip. My personal feeling is that this oversharing is a mechanism for covering up a deeper sense of sadness and an outright cry for help, or simply bragging to those who could not be there. (Your high school classmate working third shift does not care that you are in Tahiti. I promise you.)

I cannot imagine trying to convince the guys on the benches of Cass Grocery to pose for anything. They would not understand why we are glued to a screen. Someone once suggested that we should get the electronic gas pumps that allow you to swipe credit cards and there was a resounding "nay" from the entire crowd.

"That's how it starts. Next thing you know, David will have girly magazines and sell white wine."

"Them things never work. I ain't giving out my zip code anyway, that's how the government gets you."

"I heard Iraq gets 2% of all profits on them credit cards. Hell no."

I will use Billy Fortenberry as my example, as he would be the least likely of all to agree. Hell, Billy got annoyed if somebody shook his hand with both hands. I can hear his gravely voice now: "You see that? Can't trust nobody who does that. Politicians and crooked preachers." The request would go something like this:

"Billy, go stand in front of the gas pumps and smile." (holds up phone)

"Get that damn phone out of my face."

"Aw, c'mon. Just a couple of pictures. One of you looking toward Adairsville and the other of you propped up on the gas pumps."

"How about a prop you up an ass whuppin?"

"It will only take a second and I will airbrush some of the wrinkles off your face. It will get at least 87 likes."

Billy would spit Taylor's Pride on my foot and the other guys would instruct me to "get back to the beer cooler before you get hurt."

Those guys lived simply. They did not live for "likes" nor did they care if you agreed with them or not. I miss those old conversations about carburetors, sprinkler pipe, rain gauges and complaining about traffic. There were no smartphones and I took no pictures, but I soaked in every bit of knowledge I could from them. I could not share a live video of them, but I remember every detail of their demeanor, what they wore, what they believed and their ideals.

The author of the article remarked that the best day of his trip was when everyone agreed to put the phones down. Indelible memories were made on a boat ride, where they listened to music and get this....actually talking to each other. They made no pictures, but they took away so much more.

Let's be honest though, those guys on the benches should be glad camera phones did not exist. They would probably all be fired, divorced and everyone would know that bass they caught in Pine Log was not really a 12-pounder.