One day, I hope that the world will be free of non-rechargeable batteries.
Batteries were once the bane of my existence. I can't count the number of times I've stolen half-used batteries from one device to power another or tried in vain to make obviously dead batteries work. No, the freezer, the sun and time are not efficient battery re-chargers.
I'll never forget the moment in my childhood when batteries became my mortal enemy. I was at the airport, anxious for two firsts; my first plane ride and my first Disney World adventure. Of course, I needed something to keep me occupied while standing in the network of lines that comprise an airport, so I had my trusty Gameboy Color with Pokemon Yellow. There was a problem though - the game could not save. I was fully aware of this, but I was too young and naive to understand that this issue was caused by a battery. I spent my time in the world of Pokemon leveling up and building a party of trusty sidekicks from scratch every time I wanted to play.
On this occasion, I had found a Pidgeotto, the evolved form of a week Pokemon, early in the game. It was level 9 when everything else was level 2 and 3 and I somehow managed to catch it. (Never since then has such a phenomenon occured). With my new Pidgeotto in tow, I was ready to take on the world when I got on the plane. I stepped up to the metal detector, Gameboy in hand, and the guard looked at me for a second before saying "you'll have to turn that off." Not being one to disobey authority, I squashed my pride and excitement and turned off my system.
I'll never forget the moment in my childhood when batteries became my mortal enemy. I was at the airport, anxious for two firsts; my first plane ride and my first Disney World adventure. Of course, I needed something to keep me occupied while standing in the network of lines that comprise an airport, so I had my trusty Gameboy Color with Pokemon Yellow. There was a problem though - the game could not save. I was fully aware of this, but I was too young and naive to understand that this issue was caused by a battery. I spent my time in the world of Pokemon leveling up and building a party of trusty sidekicks from scratch every time I wanted to play.
On this occasion, I had found a Pidgeotto, the evolved form of a week Pokemon, early in the game. It was level 9 when everything else was level 2 and 3 and I somehow managed to catch it. (Never since then has such a phenomenon occured). With my new Pidgeotto in tow, I was ready to take on the world when I got on the plane. I stepped up to the metal detector, Gameboy in hand, and the guard looked at me for a second before saying "you'll have to turn that off." Not being one to disobey authority, I squashed my pride and excitement and turned off my system.
I'm afraid we shall never be reunited. You can thank batteries.
A second later, he was laughing. "I was just kidding buddy! You didn't have to turn it off." He and my parents got a good laugh out of it, but my thoughts were barreling toward rage. I may not have considered it back then, but it wasn't his fault. He had no way of knowing that I couldn't save. He had no idea what a Pidgeotto was. The blame can be placed squarely on the battery.
This humble device seems all too noble at first. After all, it gives its life to us in the form of energy, but it simply isn't enough. I have since been on a quest to eradicate batteries from my life. If something can be recharged, it is an ally.
Time has dulled my hostility toward batteries and my struggle to be battery-free has become somewhat of a lost cause, but I will always remember what atrocities these seemingly-innocent cylinders (or rectangular prisms) are capable of.
This humble device seems all too noble at first. After all, it gives its life to us in the form of energy, but it simply isn't enough. I have since been on a quest to eradicate batteries from my life. If something can be recharged, it is an ally.
Time has dulled my hostility toward batteries and my struggle to be battery-free has become somewhat of a lost cause, but I will always remember what atrocities these seemingly-innocent cylinders (or rectangular prisms) are capable of.
RSS Feed
