So, we need to talk about this new Pokémon Go craze. And not how amazing it is or how it is set to revolutionise the gaming industry - but how it is affecting relationships across the globe (in particular, mine).
Until a few weeks ago I was completely oblivious to what all the fuss was about. Now I find it a useful (and sometimes exasperating) tool in my relationship.
I downloaded the app out of curiosity, but mainly for my boyfriend who does not currently own a working phone and who used to be a PokéNerd back in the day (and, as it turns out, still is).
When I get the idea for this blog post, I am sat on Peckham Common whilst he has wandered off to "catch 'em all". I have periodically seen him walking from one side of the Common to the other with my phone screen glued to his face and families frantically trying to move their picnics from his path. Then he disappears.
And this is fine by me because:
a) I am exercising him without him even knowing it. He ate a foot-long sandwich 20 minutes prior to this and would otherwise be snoozing in the sunshine. But with the first few jingles of Pokémon Go ringing in his ears, he was off and clocking up steps for the pedometer with a can of beer in hand.
b) I can sit alone peacefully with a good book for as long as his adventures take him.
c) On Monday, I can look really cool in front of my colleagues who also play the game. By sending my boyfriend off in search of these fictitious characters I have racked up quite the PokéDeck without actually doing anything.
However, my use of the game (or, more specifically, my boyfriend's use of it) has somewhat backfired on me on a number of occasions...
- I will often be summoned to go on PokéMissions at ungodly hours. I have occasionally found myself taking a stroll around the streets way past my bedtime in search of Pokémon.
- On one summery evening, I was showing off my leg press skills at an outdoor gym in the local park. Smugly asking my boyfriend how impressed he was, I looked up to find that he had ventured to the other side of the park in hot pursuit of a Pidgey and a group of teenagers in his place laughing at the girl who clearly does not exercise very often.
- My phone has started sending me a lot of angry texts messages demanding to know how I am draining so much data.
- On a recent date night, I am pretty sure my boyfriend was more excited by the ten Pokémon that we caught on the bus journey than the romantic meal that followed. However, I will admit that I also got caught up in this excitement and that our cries of "OH LOOK, A VENONAT!" gathered some very confused looks from our fellow bus passengers.
To conclude, I think that Pokémon Go has provided us with some fun walkabouts (when I can muster the interest and afford the extra data). Failing that, it's great for when I want to get rid of him for half an hour...
