Mukilteo Beacon - Your Hometown News Source

One cold winter’s day, wearing a bulky coat, I walked down a grocery store aisle and my sleeve brushed a display of wine glasses.

There wasn’t enough contact to cause breakage. The metal snaps on my coat just nudged the glass, producing a clear “ping” sound, and everyone in the aisle immediately reached for their phones.

I didn’t say which day this happened. Or which winter, for that matter.

It was many years ago, in fact, back in a time when we were just beginning to be bombarded with bells and beeps coming from devices we carried around. I’ve told the story a few times. I j...