Why is this woman holding two cell phones?

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Android or Iphone? I choose... both!

There was a Pokemon Go event in Boston on Saturday.

It was the perfect time to do some street photography.

I don't usually go to the city on the weekend. But Saturday I had the sad errand of attending the funeral of a friend and co-worker.

Once the service was over, there was a long wait for the next train. I decided to head into the public gardens. My friend was a dedicated pipe smoker and notorious curmudgeon, and I would have liked nothing better than to have sat on a bench and smoked a pipe in his honor. But a passing ranger quickly reminded me that smoking is no longer permitted in Boston's parks. I kind-of knew that, but didn't realize there was a potential $250 fine involved. So I put away the pipe and took out the camera instead.

Now, it's not uncommon to see people with cell phones in the city. Hah! That's an understatement. Going through my photographs, I would say that half of everyone, at least, is either looking at a phone, or listening to one through headphones or earbuds.

This was a new level of obsession.

In fact, it became difficult to find anyone who wasn't fixated on their phone.

With the exception of some casual shoppers, and people involved in "regular" face to face conversation, everyone was gazing downwards at their screens, and wandering around in a zombie-like shuffle in pursuit of... something.

I started to feel as though I'd stepped into an episode of Black Mirror. Had the addiction to technology finally become all-encompassing? Were we now incapable of enjoying a moment outdoors without clinging to our silicon slabs?

And then I noticed something. Several of the shamblers were wearing tee-shirts that displayed cartoon characters from Pokemon.

Now, I don't know much about the Pokemon Go phenomenon, other than what was covered in the news a couple years ago. It's an "augmented reality" game where GPS technology is used to project little creatures into real space. They can only be seen through the phones.

And I guess there's something you can do to "catch" or "collect" them. Doubtless, you know more about it than I do.

When I worked at the bookstore, people would wander through in a similar state. I got a couple to show me the animated characters they'd captured with their phones. It seems like honest, harmless fun. And at least it gets people out of the house and exercising for a bit.

Apparently, once you collect some of these creatures, you can meet up in a public place and pit them against each other in some kind of battle. Or maybe they have tea and crumpets together. I'm not sure. In any case, it went some way to explaining the groups of people clustered in small groups around the gardens.

There was some talk of making the bookstore into one of these "Pokemon Gyms". I don't know if they ever did this after I left, but I was grateful it hadn't happened when I was there. I'm fine with harmless fun but these shenanigans could get out of hand in a suburban mall.

I think a public park is a much better setting for it. (Speaking as a grouchy curmudgeon who still has some small sense of fun left.)

Anyway, it would be hard to imagine a better environment for the candid street photographer. A public place just loaded with people, all deeply entranced in whatever the hell it is they're doing. The drama comes free.

Plus, who's going to notice another cell phone out capturing pictures, when several of the people are already walking around with two!

There were lots of groups of friends cooperating. And for all I know, some of these people met each other for the first time today. It looks, ironically enough, like a social game.

It's healthy family fun too, apparently. I can think of worse ways to spend father's day weekend, for those what have good fathers.

Some people even got their pets involved. (Or maybe that's just another Pokemon, captured only by my phone camera.)

Although some of the animals did seem rather ignored...

What's going on here, I think, is one of those reality-fantasy intersections where someone poses for a picture holding an object that isn't really there. (Another behavior I would observe at the bookstore.)

One could wax philosophical here about layers of reality, and what's real, really, and, I don't know, maybe the uniqueness of perception as filtered through our individual brains (which are in their way just another form of technology).

But I've got too many pictures to share. As you can see, I really did have to catch them all.

Even grandma here had to get involved.

The benches were packed with dedicated players.

I'm surprised there weren't more pedestrian-related accidents. Although there were several police vehicles (and horses) stationed around the parks. I wonder if they increased their numbers for this event, or if it was usual weekend contingent.

Oh hey, I think this guy may have actually noticed me.

Maybe I'm overdoing it with the number of photos. But it seems like the only way to convey the overwhelming scale of this behavior. I mean, this was literally going on everywhere.

For me, though, the people watching will always take precedence over electronic entertainment. (Even if I'm using my own electronics to enjoy the people watching.)

And with this kind of excitement in town...

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What hope is there for a one man band to compete?

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