As one of my grandsons and I drove into our driveway at our ranch the other day, he began begging me to stop and becoming very agitated.
As he held his cell phone in his hands and began to beat and strike at the lighted screen he continued to chatter at the shapes moving around on his display. 
All this time I am asking, “Can I pull into the garage?” Every time my answer is a resounding, “No.” He is trying his best to capture and hold on to Blatoise. This creature is one of the rarest of a Poke’mon. You do know what a Poke’mon is, don’t you? It is the most popular and successful game in mobile app history. There are over 151 Poke’mons (not sure of the plural spelling) in this app. Since the activating of this app Niantic, of which Nintendo owns a third, has been making over 1.8 million dollars per day. The owners of this Poke’mon Go app is now worth over 29 million dollars net worth. Several of the shapes, I am told are easier to “catch” and include Pidget and Rittata and the hardest ones are Blatoise, Charigard, and Dragonite. The Weird One has a 0 capture. I am sure this is the elusive one all of the Poke’monites are searching.
I have explained all this to tell you that my entire group of grandsons is totally fanatical with this phone app. Every time we get into a vehicle the phones come out and we are hunting. There are several gyms (places where you can find several of these little creatures and they are easily captured). We stop and just sit here in more than a few public parking lots.
I am waiting for the police to pull up and arrest us for trespassing. My daughter and her family visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast several weeks ago and as they pulled onto Highway 90, the Beach Highway, there were cars parked everywhere and people covering the sandy beach area. There were firetrucks and police cars directing the heavy traffic to keep accidents to a minimum. Yes, all these people were Poke’moning.
You, as I, might ask how the money is made as the app is free? Well, it is quite simple; money from the Poke’shop, selling of the poke coin, creating a Poke’mon place, selling lures, and even the wrist band that can be worn. Of course one of our credit cards must be used as collateral. As our ever-practical Pawpaw explains, “Boys, nothing is free.”
So the next time you hear one of your young – ages 5 through 65 or older talking to his phone and saying they are battling a Squirtle, you will know that this is POKE’MON!!
Chocolate Pudding Pole Cake – 1 box of Super moist chocolate fudge cake mix – mixed according to package directions. 1 box (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding mix, 2 cups cold milk - Bake cake according to directions in a 13 x 9 inch pan. When done “poke” cake every ½ inch with the end of a wooden spoon. Mix pudding mix and pour evenly over cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours and frost with chocolate icing.
Peggy Sims is a Kosciusko resident that writes a weekly column for The Star-Herald.
