Plugging into the Void captures the sense of failing to connect with the world around you – as if you know something is talking to you, yet you’re unable to respond. It is the disconnection you feel when you know you belong but struggle to show up or thrive in your environment.
When a device refuses to charge.
The device hadn’t caused problems,
not for a long amount of time.
The issue is however very familiar,
why the previous model was replaced.
Turning it off didn’t work,
back on didn’t either.
The port was a little dusty,
cleaning it wasn’t magic.
The packaging that was saved,
it didn’t contain instructions.
Lost in the mess?
Never existed?
A different charger won’t fit the entry,
not like you know the type anyway.
And when you finally figure it out,
the voltage is too high, or too low.
Once past the lock screen,
the apps run smoothly.
It may accept the password,
but it might also mark it wrong.
Experts couldn’t find the solution,
they suggested replacing instead.
They couldn’t sell you a new one,
neither could you afford it.
Scrolling through it wasn’t as bad,
it was incredibly frustrating.
The buttons would work just fine,
when the time was an even number.
Giving it time was what was left,
minutes, hours, even days.
It still refused to charge,
not a single percentage.
The battery was never zero,
but different numbers every time.
1, 28, 42, 50, 76, 90,
35, 87, 12, 64, 2, 140.
Why was it fighting so much?
Wouldn’t it be easier to shut down?
Until it finally did, the device wasn’t able to run any longer, it could never be diagnosed.
That was because the day you came in with a different one, and tried to plug it in, it didn’t respond.
How would it? To an outlet that had no current.