Smartphones erode mental maps and patience

The author talks about how smartphones have changed the way we remember things and navigate places.

He remembers a time when he and his friends would meet at a big book fair without using phones to guide them.

They had to rely on their memory and patience to find each other.

Now, with smartphones, we don't use these skills as much, and they are fading away.

The author feels sad about the cancellation of the book fair because it was a place where people could get lost in the crowd and have unexpected adventures.

He suggests that sometimes, we should put our phones away and try to find our way without them to rediscover the joy of getting lost and the skills we've lost.