Another Day, Another Fad: Part 1
“Rinpoche, why are you chewing your food so slowly and noisily? I can’t concentrate on the project I’m working on.”
“………………………………”
“Speak up. Rinpoche. I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”
“………………………………”
“I still can’t hear you, Rinpoche. Am I going deaf, or are you, for some reason, speaking in an inaudible whisper?”
“Daddi, you’ve wrecked the effect! I was practising ASMR.”
“What’s that?”
“Surely you’ve heard of ASMR?”
“Nope.”
“Where have you been, Daddi? ASMR is all the rage with the Gloucestershire cats. It means Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.”
“I’m still no wiser, Rinpoche. Tell me more about this ASAP.”
“ASMR, Daddi. Haven’t you seen any of the ASMR television ads or the MeTube videos?”
“Which ones?”
“There’s the ad in which a girl crunches on an apple and then whispers soothingly to you.”
“Oh, that one! I always mute the sound when it comes on. The ad carries on forever.”
“You’re missing the whole point, Daddi. ASMR videos use gentle whispering and soft repetitive sounds to make people feel sleepy and relaxed. When you watch these videos, you often feel a pleasant tingling feeling on your skin. Did you feel a tingling sensation when you heard me whispering and crunching my food, Daddi?”
“Rinpoche, the only sensation I felt was a feeling of extreme annoyance! This is just another of your silly fads. Do you remember your Pokécat craze?”
“No, Daddi.”
“Planking? Fidget spinners? Bottle Flipping? Fad diets?”
“Of course not, Daddi. You must be confusing me with another cat.”
-to be continued-
