Midori Kuma looks around puzzled, he didn’t realize he was also taking part in the test for the license but now that he has made such a good impression, he’s got a taste for it and wants to continue.
Bob explains: “Posting photos or videos of other people without their consent is absolutely forbidden!”
Then he continues: “Can you meet someone you know through a chat?”
“Yeah,” Lola replies, without even having listened properly to the question.
But then, looking at her father’s disappointed expression and Midori Kuma scratching his head, she realizes that she has “gone too fast” and “crashed” into a giant NO.
The smartphone of her dreams moves away faster than a kart.
“Sorry Lola, you need to take a step back,” Bob tells her.
He then adds: “It’s always nice to have the opportunity to make friends, and a smartphone makes it easy to make new acquaintances, but you need to be very careful: there are bad people who hide behind false identities.
So, don’t forget”.
Then he immediately resumes: “How much time in a day can you spend playing video games or on a smartphone?”.
“Three hours,” Olivia exaggerates.
“Two hours?” tries Peter.
“All day,” someone shouts, optimistically.
“Don’t exaggerate kids, at your age I’d say that one hour a day is more than enough,” says Bob.
And he’s ready with a new question: “When you chat, can you write anything you want?”.
“No, you have to pay attention to the words you use. Otherwise, you risk offending or hurting someone,” Daniel replies again.
“You really are a champion,” Bob tells him.
As Daniel advances to yet another position, the moustache restarts with the test: “Can I insult someone using social media knowing that I can remain anonymous?”.
“It is not right, but I have heard that it is impossible to be discovered,” ventures Lola, not totally convinced.
“Only the first part of your answer is correct, so I won’t send you back a place yet,” Bob tells her.
“There is no such thing as online anonymity: there are computer security experts who can track down the author of insults and threats.
So, if you get bad messages, don’t worry. The culprit can be identified and stopped.”
After a few more questions, and more or less correct answers, Daniel is the absolute winner, but Bob decides to give the license to everyone.
Even to Midori Kuma, who assisted him during this special test.
“Kids, I hope you’ve learned to be more cautious. But there is another thing I want to ask you, given that we are here at a circuit: would you ever let people you don’t know into your car?”
“Nooo!” Lola, Peter and all the others respond in unison.
“Very good, just as we wouldn’t let strangers into our car, we shouldn’t allow them into our lives and, above all, we shouldn’t spend too much time in front of these screens.
We all know that they are fantastic tools, they can even allow us to study and find out more about lots of things. But sometimes they can become dangerous and isolate us from the rest of the world.
Look what happened to Max?
If he had spent less time with his smartphone and video games, he wouldn’t have lost his enthusiasm for things he has always loved.”
Returning to the hotel, Lola, Peter and Midori Kuma proudly exchange their licenses, read the names on the card and comment on the most difficult questions.
Until Peter asks: “Is it really because of too much time in front of a screen that Max has become so strange?”
“Remember when we talked about invisible food, and I told you that there are things that seem invisible but can really hurt?” Steve asks.
“Yes, uncle. You said it yesterday, while we were on our way here to the circuit.”
“Well, Peter, that’s what I meant.
In Max’s head all those hours have become like an enormous cake, but it has made him fat to the point of
becoming heavy, lazy, without the strength and energy to do anything else.”
“It’s as if he put the wrong fuel in his car and broke the engine,” Peter says.
At that moment, however, the boy’s mobile phone rings.
It is a number he doesn’t recognise and immediately he’s not sure whether to answer.
After all these warnings about dangerous strangers, he’s worried.
“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Steve reassures him.
“Hi, it’s Olivia! Can you put me on speakerphone so Lola can hear too?” the squeaky voice of the cheerful
brunette made everyone smile again.
“What do you want to tell us?”
“I just wanted to confirm that I am a genius. I had a great idea and I’m planning an incredible surprise for
tomorrow’s race. Prepare yourselves!” she announces, immediately hanging up so as not to reveal too much.
“Who knows what she has in mind?” Lola is already excited.
Meanwhile, Midori Kuma is scratching his belly satisfied.
He’s sure that something special is going to happen.