Let's Talk About Blocks in Our Lives

Me: Well, um... This is going to be a highly unusual edition of "Let's Talk".

Goh: You haven't done one with us since May, and that was a special one-

Ash: That was my special day!

Pikachu: Pi! ["Yup!"]

Goh: Right - and then there was one in January. So this must be unusual, as you say.

Me: Yes. So let's get the ball rolling with the topic. This time I want to discuss blocks - as in obstacles or hindrances that we often face.

Ash: How about all the time? I'm sure it's more often than "often"!

Me: That's true. You know, I'm instantly reminded of all the times that Team Rocket got in your way.

Goh: That would qualify as "all the time"!

Ash: It does get old a lot, and yeah, that is a bad block.

Me: What about you, Goh? What would you consider as your blocks, not necessarily bad ones?

Goh: Well, there was that one time where I was trying to catch this Farfetch'd in Kanto and it kept hitting back almost every ball I threw at it.

Ash: But then you caught it!

Goh: Yeah, with a ball that it couldn't block. Now that was a lucky break.

Me: More recently, though, you had another block, and that was with your Project Mew deal - and it had something to do with Ash too.

Goh: Oh, yeah, that. Um...

Ash: Um...

Pikachu: Pika... ["Um..."]

Me: We don't have to discuss it now, just the gist of it. Essentially, it's a block.

Goh: I agree.

Me: So now we can discuss my recent blocks, and it has links to Ash as well. Now, as Ash knows from last year, this month tends to be celebratory where I am.

Ash: Oh, like one festival event from last year!

Me: Yeah, that. Unfortunately, it could be considered that some of the celebrations go overboard, and sometimes they block roads while people just don't seem to care.

Goh: That's a problem.

Me: OK, so the point is that last Saturday, I had been thinking of sending Ash somewhere, but I found out that enough roads were blocked that it wasn't practical for me to do this.

Goh: Oh, so that's why you ended up doing what you did on Saturday.

Me: That's right - and it was a good thing, because you could have been blocked too. But then on Sunday I thought I'd let Ash try his hand at doing what I did...

Ash: ...and I got to see for myself. Your friends and I got stuck in a car while going after Rayquaza!

Goh: That's the Pokémon of the sky! The battle must have been intense!

Ash: Yeah, but so was a parade on the road that blocked us.

Pikachu: Pika pika... ["That too..."]

Me: If that happened yesterday with all the business on that day, I'd never forgive myself for the block that it caused.

Goh: I can see that.

Ash: Well, we got through the block, and then you sent me somewhere after doing that while I tried to help you out... and I got to see for myself how you and I would have gotten blocked the other day. And I think we blocked ourselves too.

Me: Spare me the details; at least now we know about the possible blocks we may face, though not necessarily how to avoid them.

Goh: I see now why this is unusual. You don't usually hold back when you say you sent Ash somewhere.

Ash: It's not the first time, but I did make it... even if I got blocked.

Me: I do apologize for that. It's a real block.

Goh: But I guess if we learn anything from our experiences, there will always be some blocks to be faced.

Me: That's very true.

Ash: We'll still be around if you need to unblock a few things! We can still try our hardest even if things get blocked.

Pikachu: Pika chu! ["Certainly!"]

Me: I suppose it might take a Pokémon touch to do so.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 8/29/2022

Two years ago: Respect for Veronica Taylor

Three years ago: The Social Value of Pokémon Go

Four years ago: Adventurous Families

Five years ago: Media Master

Six years ago: Catching Up