Skin

Glancing from the kitchen to see four guffawing faces on the couch, mugging in front of i-chat on the computer. The recipient of such silliness: a college friend reporting back from spring break spent swatting baseballs in the Florida sun. Distance bridged by technology. Five tethered humans connecting with four skin-to-skin and one across the electronic divide a thousand miles away.
Hot chocolate cookies come out of the oven. Hilarity ensues as the four try to upload a cookie to the hungry boy yearning far away. He swears he can smell the aroma wafting through the computer.
The laughter dies. They all stare at the screen with the screen staring back at them. Eyes meet in acknowledgement of what is and what is not. Better to see the face and hear the voice than to experience the void of absence. Better still that all five could sit on the couch tasting a mother’s offering. Real trumps virtual every time. Joni