The Narratives – Mohamed Miah

In a bustling city filled with gadgets of all shapes and sizes, there lived a smartphone named Jack. Jack was sleek, shiny, and very proud of himself. He could do it all—take photos, play music, write notes, and make calls. “I’m the best,” Jack often said to himself, “Why would anyone need anything else?”

One sunny morning, Jack decided to take a stroll through the city, showing off his many talents. As he wandered through the park, he met a classic Camera sitting on a bench, patiently waiting for someone to capture the perfect shot.

“Hello there!” Jack called out. “I see you’re into photography. Well, so am I! Watch this!” Jack quickly snapped a photo of the beautiful scenery around them.

The Camera smiled gently and said, “That’s a nice picture, Jack, but let me show you something.” With a soft click, the Camera captured the scene with stunning detail, every leaf, and petal in perfect focus.

Jack looked at the Camera’s photo and felt a pang of doubt. “Wow, your photo is incredible,” Jack admitted. “I guess I’m not as good at photography as I thought.”

The Camera smiled kindly and said. “Photography is my only job, Jack. I’ve spent my entire life perfecting it.”

Feeling a bit humbled, Jack continued his walk. A little further down the path, he heard a familiar tune. Curious, he followed the sound and found a Walkman sitting on a bench, playing music for a few people who had gathered around.

“Hey, Walkman!” Jack called out. “I love music too! Let me play you something!” Jack played a song from his music app, confident that his sound would impress.

But as the Walkman played its cassette tape, the sound that emerged was warm and rich, full of depth that Jack’s speakers couldn’t quite match. The people around listened intently, swaying to the melody.

“Your music sounds amazing,” Jack said quietly, realizing his own sound wasn’t quite as powerful.

The Walkman smiled. “Music is my only focus, Jack. It’s all I’ve ever done.”

Feeling even less sure of himself, Jack continued walking until he found a shady spot under a tree. There, sitting calmly and writing, was a Pen and Paper.

Jack approached them and said, “Hey, I can take notes too! Watch me!” Jack opened his note-taking app and started typing.

Pen and Paper looked up and smiled. “That’s very impressive, Jack,” said Pen, “But watch this.” With a swift motion, Pen began to write on Paper, the words flowing effortlessly, without any need for charging or updates.

Jack watched, realizing how simple and effective Pen and Paper were at their job. “I guess I’m not the best at note-taking as I thought,” Jack confessed.

“It’s okay, Jack,” Paper said kindly. “We’ve been doing this for centuries. It’s what we do best.”

Feeling a bit downtrodden, Jack continued his journey. As he neared the edge of the park, he heard a familiar ring. He followed the sound and found an old-fashioned Telephone on a wooden table, calmly ringing away.

“Hi there, Telephone!” Jack said. “I’m great at making calls too! Let me show you!” Jack dialed a number and made a call, but the connection was a bit fuzzy.

Telephone answered a call and the voice on the other end was crystal clear. “Hello, how can I help you?” Telephone said, without any static or dropped signals.

Jack sighed. “You’re better at making calls too, aren’t you?”

Telephone smiled gently. “Making calls is my only job, Jack. It’s what I’ve always done.”

Jack walked back home, feeling sadder than ever. “I thought I was the best at everything,” he said to himself, “But it turns out I’m just a jack of all trades and a master of none.”

When Jack reached home, he sat quietly in his corner, feeling sorry for himself. Just then, there was a knock at the door. When Jack opened it, he was surprised to see Camera, Walkman, Pen, Paper, and Telephone all standing there.

“Hello! How come you guys are here?” Jack asked, confused.

“We came to see you, Jack,” said Camera. “You might not be the best at everything, but you’re incredibly valuable because you can do so many things.”

“That’s right,” added Walkman. “Not everyone needs a dedicated device for each task anymore. Thanks to you, we still have a place in people’s hearts.”

Pen and Paper chimed in. “You’ve made note-taking accessible to everyone, everywhere. You may not be as simple as us, but you’ve helped millions of people capture their thoughts.”

“And you’ve brought communication to the world,” Telephone said. “You connect people in ways I never could, even if I’m a bit better at making calls.”

Jack looked at his friends, realising the truth in their words. “So, I’m not a master at any one thing,” Jack said slowly, “But I’m useful because I can do many things well.”

“Exactly!” they all said in unison.

Jack smiled, feeling a warmth spread through his circuits. He wasn’t the best at any single thing, but he was the best at being the all-in-one, the jack of all trades. And that, he realised, was something to be proud of.

And from that day on, Jack was a little more humble, knowing that his value wasn’t in being the master of one, but in being the one who could do it all.