ESL Blogs

STARRING:
ALVIN: A student, a gameaholic
PUTRI: Alvin’s mom, strict but too spoils her son
FEBRISSA: Alvin’s friend
FARRAS: A doctor

Alvin is walking reluctantly coming home from school. Without changing his clothes, he enjoys sitting on the sofa and playing a game with his phone. “Alvin, take a bath and have your meal! I’ve prepared your favorite menu on the table,” says his mom.
“I’ll do it later, Mom!”

It’s already 6.00 p.m., but he doesn’t even move from his contentment. His mother gets angry and nags at him, “ALVIN, LEAVE YOUR PHONE AT ONCE AND HAVE A BATH!! Can’t you do something better than this?? Hufh!” He reluctantly does what his mother said.

At 6.59 p.m, he is in his room enjoying online game on his laptop. His mother asks, “Don’t you have any homework to do from your teacher?”. He answered with a deceived smile, “Don’t worry, Mom! I will do it tomorrow morning!”

Next day, at 10.00 p.m, his mom tells him, “Alvin, it’s time to sleep. Turn off your laptop and go to sleep, dear. You have to go to school tomorrow morning”. He turns off his laptop, then checks his phone that has been ringing. He reads all the messages…

On his bed, he continues playing game with his phone until 01.00 p.m. He falls asleep without turning off the phone. Next morning, he gets up late, hurriedly takes a bath, goes to school and only drinks a glass of milk for breakfast. Even in the class, he sometimes steals time to play a game with his smartphone.

There is a basketball match at the school yard in the afternoon. He is sitting on the spectator’s seat but he doesn’t watch the match. Although many friends around, he isn't interested in chatting with them. “Hey, Alvin! What are you doing?? Why are you just playing game? We’re watching our school match now,” said Febrissa, who is enthusiastically watch the match as she really support his idol player. “Look, looooook!!!! He did it! Yaaayyyyyyyyy!!!” she cheers.
“Oh, good job, then..! I’m doing my BIG project. Please don't disturb me, okay! :D ” answers Alvin, showing a little support but his concern is still seriously IN the game. Febrissa just shakes her heads and Alvin keeps playing game with his smartphone until the match is over. He comes for nothing.

On the way home, he plays a game while walking. Suddenly, someone grabs his phone and vanishes instantly. He is shocked with mouth opens. He doesn’t know what to do. After a while, Putri approaches him and asks, “What happens, Alvin?”. “My phone…..!!,” replied Alvian. Putri asked, “What??! What do you mean?”. He replied, “It was suddenly grabbed by someone when I was playing a game.”
“Oh, sorry to hear that! Don’t be sad, Alvin. I hope this also become a lesson for you.”
“Yeah, I know I am to blame for this, too.”

After he gets home, he tells this matter to his mom.

“HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN?? WHEN WILL YOU STOP BEING CARELESS? THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. OKAY, YOU WILL NOT GET A NEW PHONE FOR TWO MONTHS”
“Mom, pleaseeeee…..!!!!”
“NOO, BIG NO!!”
“I will be more careful.”
“NO, I CAN’T BELIEVE IN YOU NOW. Here, you can use this old phone just for communication.”

On the weekend, he spends his full day with online game on his laptop as usual.
Saturday morning, after a long night spending time with his laptop, he wakes up without seeing sunrise. He takes a bath and has a breakfast. He turns on his laptop again and plays an online game again as usual. He does this until night. He doesn’t care about what his mother said.

Day by day, he overdoes this. Everyday after school, also full day on the weekends.

Three weeks later, on the weekend, in the middle of the night

He is sitting, still with his laptop, less food and drink. He really neglects himself today. His eyes start getting blurred, he suddenly falls asleep with the laptop as the pillow.

In the morning, Febrissa comes as today they will finish a group assignment.
“Assalaamu’alaikum, Ma’am. Is Alvin at home?”
“Wa’alaikumsalam. Oh, yes. Please come in. I will wake him up.”
“Alviiiin, your friend is here…… Wake up dear…, ” his mom calls him while walking.
His mother enters his room and wakes him up but fails.
“Alvin, my son, Alvin,, wake up!”
He doesn’t wake up anyway. Febrissa also comes in and asks, “What happens, Ma’am?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t wake up,” she replies.
“Let’s take him to the hospital, Ma’am,” advises Febrissa.
Then, he is taken to the hospital.

Mom’s Alvin asks the doctor, “How’s the condition of my son, Doc?”
The doctor said, “Ma’am. before I tell you his condition, let me ask you some questions. Was he always with the phone or computer most of time”
“Yes, doc. Why?”
“What did he do?”
“He really likes playing online game.”
“I see. Did he oftentimes skip the meal or was he less drink recently?”
“Yeah, I admit that. He often skipped the meal but I didn’t notice if he drank enough water”
“Madam, there is a possibility that your son has cardiovascular problems for sitting in the same position for so long. This sedentary position has made people dead in many cases. Fortunately, he can still be saved from thrombosis, a disease where gamers commonly died from.”
“So, how is his condition now, Doc?” asked his mom worriedly.
“There are clots in his leg veins. So, he has to get medication to dissolve the clots.”
“Oh, doc. Please save my son’s life.”
“God who saves his life. This is maybe a lesson for you, too, Ma’am. Please take care of your son well. Prevent him from playing with gadgets in excessive way. Limit his time for that and do the other useful activities for his health. But now I should say it is better to avoid gadgets for a month for his quick recovery. Meanwhile, let’s pray for him and I will do my best.”
“Thank you so much, doc.”

Several hours later, Alvin has woken up. Febrissa, Alvin’s mom and the doctor are in a hospital room now.
“Hey, Alvin. It’s a relief that you has got conscious now,” said Febrissa.
“Thank God that you’re saved, my son. I hope now you’ll get a lesson from this.”
“Mom, Febrissa, What happen with me?”
“Alvin, let me check you for a while. Do you feel any better?”
“Yes, Doc. Thanks. What happen with me?”
“Don’t worry, Alvin. You just need to have a bed rest now. You have a little problems with your legs. Wanna play online game with me? [wink face]” teased the Doctor.
“I hope you’ll get a quick recovery”
Alvin just smiles without feeling regrets on his face.
“Alvin, I hope you’ll get well soon. We still have many activities in our school instead of playing games. Please don’t be sad and keep your spirit up.”
“Thanks, Febrissa.”
Alvin only smiles happily.

-END-

* * * * *
The Story was inspired by the real death of gamers.

Chuang, from Taiwan, in 2012, had died after having been playing Diablo 3, for almost two days without eating. The cause of his death was reported as cardiac arrest.

Rustam, a Russian, in 2015, had died after playing an online computer game for 22 days in a row. It is believed that he died from thrombosis from not moving around, as on a crampled long haul fight.

Let’s cherish our life. Let’s learn how we can ignore something that might destroy our life. 

Be smart and stay healthy! :)

* * * * *

Hi dear friends, ^^

Actually, I wrote this for helping one of my students make a 5minutes-short movie for the assignment from school. :D There are many scenes and dialogues cut and changed by them for some reasons. I didn't get involved in making the video at all, I just gave some suggestions as the essence in acting. There are two big mistakes about the scenes, but they had no more time to take more scenes. They are eleventh graders. Please enjoy watching this video! ^^

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aZc7jOh1kg

Sorry for torturing you with a long blog. :D Thanks a lot for your time. ^^