I am a Video Gamer. I love ‘em. Especially the complicated ones, you see I like RPG’s or Role Playing Games, the manipulations of stats and objectives just has always seemed to trip my trigger. The series of Final Fantasy, Diablo, Kingdom Hearts, Elder Scrolls and many others have taken my money and provided hours of enjoyment, fascination and ….well, maybe some aggravation and “Blue Words” shouted at the television.
It started thirty years ago. I was Security for a company that held sites for Minneapolis Public Housing. I worked 12 hour shifts, over nights, and when I got home I needed something that would bring me down from work so I could sleep all day to get up and do it again the next night. Now, while I am an avid reader now, this was not the case back then, I had NO desire to sit still long enough to do ANYTHING. There was too many other things to do in the world. God, if anybody sees that kid walking around here, send him to me, I’d like to punch him in the nose.
30+ years ago puts the original Nintendo Entertainment Center at being released and games such as Zelda (of which I now have EIGHT different copies) at the top of the market. Back then I had convinced my girlfriend that the best thing to do was to get a game for me to play and that would take care of the matter. We spent our last $50 on a video game called “The Pool of Radiance” and from there I spent DAYS in front of this game. I would rush back to our ONE ROOM APARTMENT to pick up where I left off and keep the poor girl up until it was time for her to go to college by shouting aggravated “Blue Words” at the tv …are you seeing a pattern yet??
It finally come to a head 3-4 years later when, after we were married (this was my first marriage) I purchased my three year old son a Mortal Kombat T-shirt, which was oversized and that he loved to wear. My wife was apposed to the purchase of the shirt because of the controversy over the game having a “Blood Code” which turned the in game players sweat droplets red, like they were actual blood. It was quit the controversy for it’s time, it was on the tv and in all the newspapers. Now, the other thing that this game was known for was many sound clips such as “Fight!, Flawless victory!” And my personal favorite came from one of the characters who would shoot out a chain that wrapped around their opponents neck and he would shout at them as he dragged them back to him; “GET OVER HERE!”
One night, after my wife at the time, had just come back from the grocery store and was putting away the groceries in the kitchen, our young two year old was crawling around in his favorite t-shirt and after being “watched” by his father while Mom had worked a full day and then gone to the grocery store. The child MIGHT have even been “loaded up” after sharing SEVERAL cans of sugar filled pop with his father, who had ALLEGEDLY spent the entire day in front of his favorite fighting video game with said two-year-old in toe with his own video game controller (which was not plugged in because it was broken because SOMEBODY had gotten mad at the game and thrown it against the wall…see “Blue Words” above!).
My Son, being happy to see his Mother crawled after her in his big 5 sizes to big for him, Mortal Kombat “Moo-Moo” with damaged controller in hand into the kitchen to greet her. Moments later, a toddler scream could be heard as his mother, who had just tripped over the cord for the fourth time while putting away groceries said; “Nope, no controllers in the kitchen.” She had taken the controller from him and left him in the kitchen screaming for his favorite toy.
What happened next will go down in the annals of family history for years to come. The child who was bracing himself with one hand against the wall, followed right behind her and when she placed the controller on top of the tv cabinet, out of his reach, she headed back to the kitchen to finish the groceries. She gave me a angry look and said; “Honestly, I don’t even know why you let him think he is playing that violent game.” To which THE CHILD responded with a tear stained, scrunched face; “GET OVER HERE!”
Time. Slowed. Down.
I remember the look on her face that started out as shock and then began to morph into a look of pure anger as it spun in MY direction.
Something clicked in my head as I finally understood why numerous men had asked me, just after they found out I had been married just over a year; “So, do you have work shop yet to hide in?” I knew I had to get out of the room. Fearing to let the two-year-old remain as the only representative of the male of the species, scooped up the child and said as we BOTH made a hasty retreat to his room; “I got this.”
Exit stage right. End scene.
Man I hope that kid of mine appreciates how I saved both of us from certain disaster that day.
Sometimes, Turining It Around for someone means LEAVING Pompeii in stead of climbing Mount Vesuvius to see the sites!
Have a great day everyone!
Go Win Your Day!
