6.01.2006

Repressed Memories (Gaming)

I just thought I'd share an awesome memory I just got back.

I was playing the Lost World arcade game. At a nickel arcade, of course. And I was doing alright. I was in the player 2 slot as my older brother was player 1, got impatient, and left.

So I see someone else putting coins in. I look up? It's a marine. Or at least, a serviceman. Full uniform, a good deal of medals, young face, beret, and duffel bag. I don't remember everything about how he looked because I was a kid.

He set the bag down, and the beret on top of it, and smiled down at me.

We played the game and we celebrated at victories over crazy, frustrating bosses, panicked in tense moments, laughed as we slipped up repeatedly at bad times, and sighed in heavy relief when we finally beat that damn T-Rex guy that kept taking one of us in the mouth and we had to shoot him in the eyes to get the other guy free.

No other bond. No real connection. No personal association. Just an arcade cabinet, a game, and a ridiculous amount of nickels.

That's what I miss about gaming, and that's what modern gaming will never be able to give me again.

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