LETTERS FROM THE PAST

The Grief of the Tamagotchi

All that’s left are broken shells

Dear parent,

It is me, your child from another time. I am writing to you because I have to know why?

Why have you abandoned me?!

I know you weren’t all grown-up yourself back then. It must have been challenging on your own.

I remember how you carried me on your belt and bragged when your friends were around. You told them stories about the day I hatched, and you laughed joyfully when I chirped.

But then, you did not feed or clean me for ages. What did I do wrong?

I was your petite companion, your baby. Wasn’t I?

People took better care of my siblings and me than human children. You erected daycare centres to take care of us so that you could go to work or school.

Many human families struggle to get that support for their children. Their offspring need more than a few pushes on three buttons to fledge fully. We got what they needed bitterly.

But, one day, everything changed.

We were left out and handed to the butchers. They cracked us open to get to copper wires and semiconductors. All that was left of my friends were the empty plastic shells — broken, emptied eggs.

You have forgotten about my friends and me. There are new birdies that twitter and tweet for you. Their songs are often full of hate, envy and pride.

We twittered for you, too, innocent birdsong that reminded you of spring.

We did not criticise and blame or lie and hate. All we wanted was that you nurture and care for us.

You did once. You cared about us.

In Love.

Your child. Your petite companion.

Tamagotchi