[ WP ] Another addiction becomes as socially acceptable as smoking is today .

The doors slid open as Felix approached. He yawned and moved into the building to start his day ( a Monday no less - yeck! ). Making his way to the life, he found his desk mate Charlie grinning and holding the doors open for him. He was far too awake, as always. 
 
 `` Ah Felix, you poor bastard,'' he replied to Felix's grunt. `` Want a hit?'' 
 
 A hand materialised in front of his face as Charlie proffered an absurdly yellow Teardrip. The absurd brightness of the bottle woke him up enough to respond. 
 
 `` Uhh, no thanks Charlie. I do n't drip.'' 
 
 Charlie laughed and flourished the little bottle as they walked out onto their floor. `` You're missing out buddy. Great way to start the day. I use this drip every morning. Two little plips and you're zeroed in on the rest of the day. Like a cheetah. Ready to hunt. Ready to get the buckaroos. Good. Stuff! And, look at my bottle! So bright! Neat huh? It's very'summery'.'' The bottle waggled about at eye level. 
 
 They reached their screens and the day began. For some faster than others. You could tell who dripped and who still tried to shake their circadian rhythms the good ol' fashioned way - coffee, sugar and wrenching yawns. Felix did n't understand it, but it was everywhere now. Only 50 years ago smoking had been the'in' thing. That started dying out around the same time as light drugs were being legalised. But since smoking was n't cool anymore, Teardrips were born. Chemical concoctions that you dripped into your eyes. It started out harmless enough, a simple energiser mix which helped people to focus their tired eyes. From there.. it kind of exploded. 
 
 Teardrips started to evolve for every social stratum. For the younger generation, drips offered to change eye color temporarily, or generate small reactions behind your irises which would shift and generate patterns. Some acted like mood rings ( which made for a particularly intimidating meeting with his boss last week as her eyes had rippled a very, very, very deep black ). Last week, during a nice dinner out, his wife had gazed at him as a particularly expensive brand of drip caused fractal Frangipani flowers to bloom behind her eyes. At least Charlie was a little more moderate and stuck to the performance focused line. 
 
 Felix tried not to judge. It was n't really harming anyone. The more hardcore ones he disagreed with. Certainly he hoped his daughter did not dabble in the narcotic variations. 
 
 `` Hey, Felix! We need to ask you something.'' The familiar chirpy voice pulled his mind off his thoughts. Alice, from marketing. He turned around with a smile to answer her question. 
 
 Little H & M emblems floated over her eyes as she approached. 
 
 Jesus.. 
 
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