“Arrrgh!!!” Jason looked frustratingly at his own distorted expression reflected on his tablet.
“Jason, dude, Wuzzup?! No wi-fi connection?” Arnold asked.
“Nope, [GRRR!!!] the screen isn’t responding.”
“Screen? Did you drop your tablet?”
“Nope, I’m trying to run one of those live-wallpaper plug-ins…,” Jason sighed and decided to take another bite at his burger.
“Oh, you mean those dynamic wallpapers that change, move or respond to your taps.”
“Yeh, they’re pretty cool, aren’t they?”
“Sure thing, but they drain batteries too and I couldn’t figure out why you’d install them when you won’t even see them while another application is running.”
“Okay, show off, probably you don’t need it, but I DO!”
“Hey, chill dude, I was just sharing my thoughts. Can I have a look?”
Jason seemed reluctant to hand his tablet.
“Hey, dude. I’m not going to drop nor eat it!” Arnold assured him.
“Here…,” Jason hands it to him. Arnold gulped with repulsion when he noticed the dried stains of catsup and mustard on the edges. [YHUCK!]
“So…?” Jason impatiently asked.
Arnold gingerly taps on the screen and after a few minutes hands it back.
“Wow! You’re a genius, dude! Tell me how you did it, PLEEEASE!”
“Hey, I thought you weren’t interested in technical stuff. Do you mind telling me why you’re suddenly so interested?”
“Uh…, let’s just say it’s kindda personal,” Jason rubbed his nose and left a streak of catsup on it.
“Alright, let’s go through it step by step. Here, let me show you how it’s done,” Arnold whips out his own tablet and starts teaching Jason.
“Wait, why can’t we just use my tablet?”
“Dude, our tablets are pretty much the same models. As I explain you can follow me in your tab, getz?”
“Getz… So letz!!!” Jason said.
“Go to SETTINGS…and…”
“That’s a pretty dull background you have there, dude!” Jason interrupted him.
“Are you going to listen or…?”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help noticing…,” Jason gave a mischievous smile.
“Okay, after settings, you tap DISPLAY….”
“Where is DISPLAY…?” Jason left oily doodle on the screen trying to find DISPLAY.
“Got it?” Arnold asked
“Yeh, got it. [WHEW!],” Jason started wiping sweat from his chubby cheeks.
“Hey, you seem like you’re going through a tougher time than someone taking the board or bar exams.
“Okay, smarty toes, what’s next…?” he tried restraining his irritation.
“Then…you…,” Arnold tapped the next menu.
“WHOA! How does your screen do that?”
“Do what?”
“It flashes and shows you some sort of post-it message.”
“Oh, it’s my live faith wallpaper,” Arnold explained.
“Faith wallpaper?”
“Yeh, what’s wrong, you don’t like it?”
“Nothing, I just thought you didn’t like the live thingies ‘coz it wastes batteries, etcetera…etcetera….”
“But I get to see it, dude.” Arnold corrected him.
“Okay, how does it work?”
“Ever since the Year of Faith began, I thought I could make a live faith wallpaper that would theme me up to live something special every week or month during the entire year.”
“Wow, like a live calendar then…?”
“Right… and I’ve got six months already rigged to the other apps so it’s more interactive and entertaining.”
“Super, like how entertaining?”
“Well, it has reminders that allow me to choose if I want to pray with the Pope’s voice reciting the Angelus or the Holy Rosary. Then it can also alert me with interesting topics from Catholic web-sites.”
Jason suddenly became very quiet and pensive.
“Earth calling Jason from the Planet of the Apes…,” Arnold waved his hand in front of his face.
“I’m sorry, I was just thinking.”
“That’s nice to hear, good to know you’re still evolving.”
“No, seriously, you would do me a big favor if you help me to get that app into my gadget.”
“Really? That’s not the Jason I’ve known back in high school,” Arnold joked.
“PLEEEASE, Arnold…PLEEEASE!,” he pleaded.
“Okay, but you haven’t even learned this?”
“I promise to tell you WHY, but first, explain to me your live faith thingy.”
“Tap on January, and you will see a list of themes and goals. I’ve decided to follow the Pope’s suggestion of basing the entire year on the Creed. So far, like I said, I’ve got the six months in.”
“January…,” Jason read. “DIVINE SONSHIP. Uh, these are pretty dense, dude.” He scratched his head.
“Since the Creed begins with ‘I believe in God…Father Almighty’ January focuses on living the divine sonship I have received through Baptism.”
“Sonship…,” Jason said trying to follow Arnold’s explanation.
“February…is the month of love.”
“Where’s that in the Creed dude?”
“Quite simple Mr. Neanderthal, God loved us so much and created everything for you and me. It’s a month to live gratitude towards a Father so loving and providing.”
“…and March?” Jason enjoyed tapping the interactive wallpaper that pulsated with colors, images and even soft background music.
“…hey, don’t leave mustard prints on my screen,” Arnold chuckled. “March is when we celebrate the Annunciation, or the day when Jesus was conceived. So I thought it would be a month focusing on the Incarnation and of course, trying to see in my ordinary situation how to link with Jesus’ humanity.”
“April…? Let me guess,” Jason confidently said.
“Give it a shot, dude!”
“Holy Spirit?”
“Wow! I guess this means you’re converting more than evolving.”
“VEEERRY funny!”
“May is naturally dedicated to our Lady and June is set for the themes of sacrifice, the Cross and service.”
“Wow…and the other six?”
“That’s still being worked on.” Arnold tucked his tablet into his knapsack. “So what’s with all this sudden interest for my live faith wallpaper?”
[BLUSH!!!] “You know…well, ah…I guess, you know Sally Harper in Physics lab?”
“Yeah, why dude?”
“I heard she’s a nice and pretty girl, intelligent too.”
“I think you’re going to hit it well together, if that’s what you mean after you finally evolve?”
“Hey, cut that evolving joke! This is serious stuff.”
“How serious?” Arnold was controlling his laughter.
“Like I heard she looks up to guys who take their faith seriously.”
“Sooo…you’re going to show her the faith wallpaper?” Arnold raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah…if that would be alright with you, dude.”
“It’s perfectly alright with me!” Arnold said to Jason’s relief.
“Really?!”
“Yes, really.”
“But, I was just kind of wondering if you could tell me where you downloaded the program so I could share it with her.”
“I didn’t,” Arnold replied.
“What? You didn’t? Who gave it to you?”
“Sally Harper!”
“GRRRRR!!!”