Electronics and suede

I took a drink just now and a droplet of water fell from my cup onto my keyboard. For a moment I watched it sit on top of the number 5 key then slowly slide down and settle in between the neighboring key. As it gradually worked its way into the circuitry below the keys, I thought to myself, “That could create a problem.”

It’s strange how something as small as a water droplet can create such a problem.

We know that billions of water droplets collectively lead to a flood. But even a single drop can have damaging effects if misplaced. 

When you and I think of damaging effects we consider things in excess: drug overdoses, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and bombs are all examples of things in extreme measure. 

A slight breeze on a warm day is a welcomed relief. But the 261 mph gusts of a tornado ravage an entire town. Cocaine, one of the most commonly abused substances, can be used as a valuable anesthetic.

But what about things that are dangerous even in small doses? A relationship built over many years can be destroyed by a single lie. And a thread of gossip can betray confidence in a moment.

And even a droplet of water can tarnish the luster of a suede jacket.