1289 Fidget Niche

I was reading an article the other day on Bowerbirds. They’re the species whose male birds build elaborate nests to attract females. What’s cool is they don’t just stop at building a nest. They decorate and landscape the things with everything they can get their beaks on. Pop bottle caps, rose petals, beer cans, dead beetles.
Like a conceptual artist on acid.
They reminded me of us. Because they so frenetically attempt to fill every little niche of their space, lives, and time.
Like the other day, I was at a big box home improvement store and out front, someone had exploited the on-your-way-in-from-the-parking-lot-feel–like-something-to-eat-or-drink niche. They had set up a little espresso stand.
But your average home improvement store doesn’t have enough latte drinkers, so the stand had expanded its offerings. It also offered hot dogs.
And it championed that fact. They had a sign that said “The Best Hot Dog Espresso Stand in the World.” Yum. Maybe my tastebuds are different, but doesn’t a hot dog and a latte sound like a culinary clash?
“I’ll have the mochacino, and make sure I get extra onions on that polska kielbasa.”
But hey, they filled a niche, so more power to them.
A couple of customers in line at another espresso place caused me further reflection. They had I-Phones and they were fidgeting with them. Flipping the orientation around. Calling up apps, diddling with the screen.
And it occurred to me, these people are perfectly happy to wait in line, as long as they had their I-Pacifier in hand to fidget with. They can do their business, send some texts, check their calendar, even play a little video game. Not iconic behavior, but I-Phonic behavior.
The answer to the enduring-poor-service-in-a-long-line niche.
The I-Fidget.
America, ya gotta love it.