It?s my day off and I wake up bleary eyed at 10 in the morning, an early start for me. It?s hot, it?s humid, and the sun is peaking through the closed blinds at my morose, unshaven face. I?m tired, but not in the popular ?I got so drunk last night and now I?m hangover? kind of way. I?m still recovering from last night?s cliché ?one more hour? gaming session. I know playing until 4 isn?t exactly the healthiest alternative to, well?sleep. But I feel that there?s something soothing and comfortable about having my own personal corner of the world in which I can sequester myself for a good number of hours, when everyone else is preoccupied with recharging. Yes it?s antisocial, yes it?s unhealthy and yes it?s draining but after a day working in a health shop where no one shops, one needs an outlet of escapism.
Anyway I am still tired and am mulling over the options for entering the day: going back to sleep or to reluctantly get into the swing of things by starting the daily grind with a cup of coffee and some toast. But terrible puns aside; I go with the latter option and grab a fresh cup of Java. No sooner do I sit down to read the latest forum postings this morning when I get a call from Dave. Dave Tully is one of my closest friends, he?s an avid gamer, and is usually the one who rings me at 2 in the morning, usually drunk, and usually playing WoW. ?Dude this guy right, this fucking guy sends me straight to the graveyard and won?t get off my ass. You know? By the way what are you doing tomorrow, cause you have a sister that?s really fine m -??. It usually just goes on like this, and when I remind him of the time he usually replies with ?What? Wait? Where are you RIGHT now? You don?t know shit, how could you know the time?? *Hang up*. Indeed. But I?d just woken up and was in no mood for Warcraft related anecdotes.
?Hey Dave, what?s up?? I say in an almost patronizing tone.
?Hey yeah dude, we?re all heading off to the Bunker today and you should come with.?
?Oh and why?s that??
?Because it?s our day off Uni and it?s YOUR day off work. C?mon man, when?s the next time an opportunity like this going to present itself??
I hate it when he does this. Talking as if going out gaming with my mates was an opportunity that needed to be taken. Dave was an attention seeker, and a good one at that. Although we have been great friends for years, it has always been on a pretty much ?love-hate? based relationship.
?Ok, well define ?us?. Who else is going??
?Well Eddie and Nick are both going? What else do you need, a gold crested invitation??
?I wouldn?t mind?
?Shut the hell up, you?re coming OK??
?Is there anything in it for me? I know I?m sounding like a dick, but I?m okay with it.
?My company and a days worth of CS with your mates? He says firmly.
?Okay, fine? I sigh.
?Ah, knew you?d come around! I?d pick you up but my car?s in to get the leather treated?
?How convenient? I say, and promptly hang up the phone.
?Why did I say ?Yes??? I think to myself.
The only reason why I said ?Yes? was because if I didn?t it would end up turning into a never ending diatribe from David as to why I won?t come out, and would rather spend my time traversing through an underwater city fighting mechanical beasts.
I would never do that, of course. I?m not THAT dedicated to my hobby as to blow off my friends for the day so I can finish a game, it?s just that today I think I would rather stay in doing exactly that. ?But no point bickering about it now? I think whilst downing the last quarter of my now cold coffee.
Let?s get something straight first. I love days out, I do. But where I live in conjunction with the inner-city area (my usual destination) just makes organizing things too inconvenient for a day out with mates. Add this problem with the fact that I don?t own a car as of yet, it does make the simple act of ?hanging out? with friends, a very trying ordeal. But I digress. I work out my usual route of travel (the 10:03 train from Joston to Central) and start my walk to the train station. It may seem odd, but this is the part that I love best. The walk itself and the train ride. Don?t get me wrong, I grew out of being excited by the locomotive form of transportation when I was nine. But the fact that I get to spend time with myself and whatever music is blaring in my ears at the time (at the moment it?s usually Daft Punk, Led Zeppelin or the Halo 2 soundtrack) I find is more relaxing than any private game session, day spa or various other recreational activities. It?s my ?Happy Place? more than anything.
I reach the train station and pay for my ticket. It?s a hot day, so I sit down with my bag and pull out my PSP. It?s an earlier model, but to be honest I prefer it to those nasty shiny acrylic models they have out now. I boot up GTA which I?ve been playing for quite frankly?way too long, when an attractive girl sits down confidently next to me. The key word here is ?confidently?. Now, I?m not an unattractive guy, but when you?re a 22 year old male with a handheld gaming device, who?s venturing into the city to play computer games with his mates, the notion of talking to a girl in your current state seems a tad absurd to say the least. Maybe if I had a copy of ?Love in the Time of Cholera? the outcome might be a bit different. Or so I thought, until she said:
?Hey, just letting you know, you need to cross Leaf Links gold course to get to your contact? She said matter of factly.
I think my jaw simultaneously hit the floor and moved in circles repeatedly
?Uh? Errm, right!? I stammer, trying hopelessly to think of something witty to say.
This is another fault of mine, whenever I proceed to talk to women, I think that the quality of words that I should respond with should be nothing short of William-f**king-Shakespeare.
?Hahaha, look, I?ll show you? She giggles.
I?m too taken aback to notice that she?s pried the console out of my hands and is playing the game for me
?To be honest I wouldn?t have pegged you for a gaming kind of ?gal?? I say jokingly.
?Haha most guys wouldn?t? She says without taking her eyes off the screen.
?Do you, you know? ?game? much?? I say cautiously, as if uttering the word ?game? was the same thing as asking them if it was that time of the month.
?Yeah well, my brother got me on to this whole hobby when I was Four, and I haven?t stopped playing since. What about you??
At this point two things happen to me:
1. I think I?m in love; and 2. I?m a amazed that she?s a purist. She?s been playing since she was little. A rare thing nowadays.
?Ah sorry, what was that?? I ask, still clearly stunned.
?I said, what about you??
?Um, yeah pretty much the same story as you really. Been doing it my whole life?
Wow, I couldn?t have sounded Nerdier if I?d been wearing thick rimmed glasses and sounding like Woody Allen. I decided to move on quickly from that.
?So where are you off too?? I ask earnestly.
?To the city, I?ve got a lecture to go to. Can?t wait.? She says sarcastically.
?What about you??
?Oh you know, just meeting up with some mates. Might head down to the pub or something?
Being a gamer I know I should stay true to my passion, and knowing that this girl is an avid gamer, really I shouldn?t have a problem telling her the truth, so I decide to take a risk.
?Actually, I?m heading off to the Bunker, do you know it??
?You mean the internet cafe??
I look away sheepishly.
In the distance I can hear the 10:00 train coming.
?Yeah? yeah that?s the place.?
She laughs. ?Oh yeah, well I finish my lecture at 12:30 and I wouldn?t mind winding down after, do you mind if I join you??
Jesus Christ.
?Yeah of course, I mean? are you sure? You really want to??
I think I?m starting to recite the lines of some really bad romantic comedy.
?Yeah of course, I mean it?s not like you?re some sort of ?Uber Geek? right?
I start to go red.
?No of course not!? I laugh.
I wonder if I?m a convincing liar?
TO BE CONTINUED!
Anyway I am still tired and am mulling over the options for entering the day: going back to sleep or to reluctantly get into the swing of things by starting the daily grind with a cup of coffee and some toast. But terrible puns aside; I go with the latter option and grab a fresh cup of Java. No sooner do I sit down to read the latest forum postings this morning when I get a call from Dave. Dave Tully is one of my closest friends, he?s an avid gamer, and is usually the one who rings me at 2 in the morning, usually drunk, and usually playing WoW. ?Dude this guy right, this fucking guy sends me straight to the graveyard and won?t get off my ass. You know? By the way what are you doing tomorrow, cause you have a sister that?s really fine m -??. It usually just goes on like this, and when I remind him of the time he usually replies with ?What? Wait? Where are you RIGHT now? You don?t know shit, how could you know the time?? *Hang up*. Indeed. But I?d just woken up and was in no mood for Warcraft related anecdotes.
?Hey Dave, what?s up?? I say in an almost patronizing tone.
?Hey yeah dude, we?re all heading off to the Bunker today and you should come with.?
?Oh and why?s that??
?Because it?s our day off Uni and it?s YOUR day off work. C?mon man, when?s the next time an opportunity like this going to present itself??
I hate it when he does this. Talking as if going out gaming with my mates was an opportunity that needed to be taken. Dave was an attention seeker, and a good one at that. Although we have been great friends for years, it has always been on a pretty much ?love-hate? based relationship.
?Ok, well define ?us?. Who else is going??
?Well Eddie and Nick are both going? What else do you need, a gold crested invitation??
?I wouldn?t mind?
?Shut the hell up, you?re coming OK??
?Is there anything in it for me? I know I?m sounding like a dick, but I?m okay with it.
?My company and a days worth of CS with your mates? He says firmly.
?Okay, fine? I sigh.
?Ah, knew you?d come around! I?d pick you up but my car?s in to get the leather treated?
?How convenient? I say, and promptly hang up the phone.
?Why did I say ?Yes??? I think to myself.
The only reason why I said ?Yes? was because if I didn?t it would end up turning into a never ending diatribe from David as to why I won?t come out, and would rather spend my time traversing through an underwater city fighting mechanical beasts.
I would never do that, of course. I?m not THAT dedicated to my hobby as to blow off my friends for the day so I can finish a game, it?s just that today I think I would rather stay in doing exactly that. ?But no point bickering about it now? I think whilst downing the last quarter of my now cold coffee.
Let?s get something straight first. I love days out, I do. But where I live in conjunction with the inner-city area (my usual destination) just makes organizing things too inconvenient for a day out with mates. Add this problem with the fact that I don?t own a car as of yet, it does make the simple act of ?hanging out? with friends, a very trying ordeal. But I digress. I work out my usual route of travel (the 10:03 train from Joston to Central) and start my walk to the train station. It may seem odd, but this is the part that I love best. The walk itself and the train ride. Don?t get me wrong, I grew out of being excited by the locomotive form of transportation when I was nine. But the fact that I get to spend time with myself and whatever music is blaring in my ears at the time (at the moment it?s usually Daft Punk, Led Zeppelin or the Halo 2 soundtrack) I find is more relaxing than any private game session, day spa or various other recreational activities. It?s my ?Happy Place? more than anything.
I reach the train station and pay for my ticket. It?s a hot day, so I sit down with my bag and pull out my PSP. It?s an earlier model, but to be honest I prefer it to those nasty shiny acrylic models they have out now. I boot up GTA which I?ve been playing for quite frankly?way too long, when an attractive girl sits down confidently next to me. The key word here is ?confidently?. Now, I?m not an unattractive guy, but when you?re a 22 year old male with a handheld gaming device, who?s venturing into the city to play computer games with his mates, the notion of talking to a girl in your current state seems a tad absurd to say the least. Maybe if I had a copy of ?Love in the Time of Cholera? the outcome might be a bit different. Or so I thought, until she said:
?Hey, just letting you know, you need to cross Leaf Links gold course to get to your contact? She said matter of factly.
I think my jaw simultaneously hit the floor and moved in circles repeatedly
?Uh? Errm, right!? I stammer, trying hopelessly to think of something witty to say.
This is another fault of mine, whenever I proceed to talk to women, I think that the quality of words that I should respond with should be nothing short of William-f**king-Shakespeare.
?Hahaha, look, I?ll show you? She giggles.
I?m too taken aback to notice that she?s pried the console out of my hands and is playing the game for me
?To be honest I wouldn?t have pegged you for a gaming kind of ?gal?? I say jokingly.
?Haha most guys wouldn?t? She says without taking her eyes off the screen.
?Do you, you know? ?game? much?? I say cautiously, as if uttering the word ?game? was the same thing as asking them if it was that time of the month.
?Yeah well, my brother got me on to this whole hobby when I was Four, and I haven?t stopped playing since. What about you??
At this point two things happen to me:
1. I think I?m in love; and 2. I?m a amazed that she?s a purist. She?s been playing since she was little. A rare thing nowadays.
?Ah sorry, what was that?? I ask, still clearly stunned.
?I said, what about you??
?Um, yeah pretty much the same story as you really. Been doing it my whole life?
Wow, I couldn?t have sounded Nerdier if I?d been wearing thick rimmed glasses and sounding like Woody Allen. I decided to move on quickly from that.
?So where are you off too?? I ask earnestly.
?To the city, I?ve got a lecture to go to. Can?t wait.? She says sarcastically.
?What about you??
?Oh you know, just meeting up with some mates. Might head down to the pub or something?
Being a gamer I know I should stay true to my passion, and knowing that this girl is an avid gamer, really I shouldn?t have a problem telling her the truth, so I decide to take a risk.
?Actually, I?m heading off to the Bunker, do you know it??
?You mean the internet cafe??
I look away sheepishly.
In the distance I can hear the 10:00 train coming.
?Yeah? yeah that?s the place.?
She laughs. ?Oh yeah, well I finish my lecture at 12:30 and I wouldn?t mind winding down after, do you mind if I join you??
Jesus Christ.
?Yeah of course, I mean? are you sure? You really want to??
I think I?m starting to recite the lines of some really bad romantic comedy.
?Yeah of course, I mean it?s not like you?re some sort of ?Uber Geek? right?
I start to go red.
?No of course not!? I laugh.
I wonder if I?m a convincing liar?
TO BE CONTINUED!
