My Son The Introvert

What happened to my first dictionary? Not the library copy or my uncle’s dictionary he used because he was a newspaper editor, but the one I bought myself?

Swept away by digital floods, which brings us to the word introvert and why it should be removed from the dictionary or updated.

How’s Tommy?

He’s there in his room, only comes out to eat.

Parents then explain to visitors why Tommy is an introvert, doesn’t even come down to greet his grandfather, when he drops by. To think they used to be as thick as thieves when he was younger. Visitors are internet addicts. Therefore, they know that Tommy has a dual personality. He is an introvert to his parents and teachers but an extrovert to the people he follows online. He opens up to them in chat rooms, YouTube Shorts, Tik Tok and other social media.

He also gets a lot of love from his phone, something he doesn’t get at home because parents have this irritating question. Why are you always on your phone? Tommy is young. He must be active online to be a cool extrovert. It’s part of the initiation. Boys used to dread their first year in boarding schools because of initiation ceremonies, also called hazing. Some are grown men but still have scars on their backs from the whipping.

Tommy is growing up in the digital age therefore he must be an introvert to his parents, so that he could be an extrovert to strangers.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.