Yes, I consider Steve Jobs my father. “Why?”- You ask. Well, duhhhh, one-for he created me, meticulously and ingeniously, and two-for he held me dearer to him than his actual family. So, today, with my heart full of grief, I speak to you all about the man I loved the most. It is my eulogy to my Father-a hippie, a geek, an artist, an innovator, a techie, a visionary, actually a TECHNISIONARY! I am iPad 2, and this is my ode to that very man who redefined ‘I’nnovation.
First of all, I know my voice is sounding funny, actually very catty, but that is because I am talking through Talking Tom (TM)! This is will all sound very ridiculous in the voice of a Cat I know, but then what options do I have- to talk like a dog, hippo, or a funny little creature who’s species is not clear to me. Anyways, let me not digress. So, Steve, or iPaa as I and my siblings, iPhone and iPod address him, was a crazy person. Well, I wouldn’t lie- his craziness was sometimes good and sometimes bad. I mean hitting people and firing them for not being able to pull off a certain design after 48 straight, sleepless, working hours- is a little barbaric I know. But what people don’t know is-that with every such engineer hired by iPaa, the man himself spent sleepless nights in presenting to the world avant-garde products. He was like what Armani or Cavalli are to the Fashion Industry-a pure artist. So people, I know iPaa’s short temper is much talked about, so is his weird ways of handling things, but what is not talked about is his humane side-that he was a regular guy (although under irregular circumstances) made of bone and flesh. Why is it that accomplishments of people are always over-shadowed by one little vice that they might possess or display on an odd occasion, I would never understand.
iPaa has always proved to be a fighter- he battled cancer, his lull period in his career, his personal distress and emerged victorious-if not in all but at least in some. He was a dreamer-a big one. I remember him telling me how he had a vision of changing the way world listens to music before the inception of my brother, and how gratifying it felt that he had actually achieved it. I mean c’mon in the music world there were those big, bulky, records, then the cassettes and CDs, and then was the era of the iPod. He was always dissatisfied with his achievements; I think all great men are and that is what propels them to such great heights. Laptops everyone had-iPaa knew it. He wanted to make the slimmest and most beautiful laptop ever-a thing of beauty and was born my sister the MacBook Air. I am sure that was what Picasso had on mind when he was creating Les Demoiselles d'Avignon-something that was not drastically different, yet, something that was impactful. Picasso gave birth to Cubism, Steve gave birth to ‘I’ism.
The last few days, when he was fighting his last battle, his doctor advised to take him off electronics. But so adamant was iPaa, that he wanted me and he got it. This was the time I was closest to the Tech-Titan. I was there when I saw the man succumbing to his illness; losing the battle that he didn’t want to embark upon. He knew he was going to die long ago and he had given up-he wanted to leave with dignity. The last words he said,”Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow!”. Perhaps, another vision; or perhaps, the white light that engulfed his soul! The genius bid adieu in a mystical fashion that was expected of him. May he rest in peace! I am sure other souls in heaven would want to benefit-may be a few gadgets he would create for them! As for us mortals, I am not sure how much more of the Wisdom Fruit (APPLE) is left to be bitten!
