The Arousal Indicator

The solitary inventor toiled over his smartphone,
Night after long, arduous night, sacrificing a
Very expensive device to the purpose of science...

He finally got it to work:
The icons had a new task, antenna a new function.
He tried it on himself, looking at porn on his PC.
The device glowed, and an icon popped up,
appropriate sexual graphic indicating his arousal.

He left to go to the grocery store, phone still on.
Passing a younger, attractive girl, his phone glowed.
He wheeled a cart around, picking up a few things.
Another gal made his phone and shirt pocket glow.
An older lady came by - it picked up her arousal too.
He waited in the checkout line, the phone reflecting
his arousal at the clerk, and an older guy's towards him.

Heading out to his car, he saw a couple of younger guys,
chatting nearby as he filled his trunk - the phone glowed.
Never thought of himself as gay - but the phone didn't lie.
He stopped at a home improvement store to run in a moment.
The older couple wheeling their cart full of paint were aroused by him,
according to the phone - it certainly was not coming from him!

A younger gal walzed by - he did not get a good look,
but his phone glowed, icons popped up - it was her???
Hmm, must have been his new haircut or something.
He got his duct tape and waited in line. Two youthful
stockboys ambled by, talking about a sports team.
He grabbed his phone to conceal the telltale glow and icons.
It would have helped if he had not selected such, er, graphic
icons (to display the range of arousal) on his smartphone.
Finally he got out of there, and headed back home.

He got the groceries put away, and settled into his
favorite recliner to have a look at his phone. The cat
jumped up on his lap, rolled around, and purred.
The damned phone glowed, faintly. He threw it
against the wall - but luckily not too hard. Time
enough to look at it tomorrow!

Mike Wilson has been writing poetry and short stories, mostly science fiction, for several years now. He has been published in print and online periodicals, and keeps a blog at http://radical-readings.blogspot.com.

Find more by Mike Wilson in the Author Index.

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