It Was Worth It
Unless this is your first time reading my blog, you probably know that I enjoy video games. And in my endeavors to acquire old video game systems, I at one point bought a Nintendo 64. It was fun to play, but it only came with one controller, which is a a bit of an inconvenience if you want to play with four players, which I did. So I set out to a nearby EB Games to inquire about purchasing three more controllers. The guy working there at the time somberly informed me that they never got those in anymore and that the only place in town I could possibly hope to find any would be at the pawn shop. It turned out that he had no clue what he was talking about and a week later the store got in a whole truckload of used N64 controllers. I now have four and anyone who wants to come play some Super Smash Bros. is welcome.
Although I didn't end up finding my controllers at the pawn shop, the idea stuck with me. Do pawn shops really sell video games? I don't know about anyone else, but my entire experience with pawn shops came from the episode where the Simpsons had to pawn their television to pay for family therapy. I had always envisioned pawn shops as seedy little places where desperate losers with gambling debts go to pawn their wedding rings. Or maybe where meth addicts go to hock stolen VCRs. At any rate, I'd never set foot in a pawn shop. Until today.
Curiosity got the better of me today, so I decided to locate the local pawn shop. I decided it would be good excercise if I walked there from campus after turning in my paper. I thought it would only be about a mile, but it was over two. Each way. And it was 80 degrees. And I was wearing khaki pants and a black polo shirt. Sometimes I wonder how I made it this far in school. Anyway, I finally made it to the pawn shop drenched in sweat and went inside. I'd like to tell you that the first thing I noticed was the motherload of used video games that graced virtually half the store. I'd like to tell you that, but it would be a lie. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Its was a particular smell, one you can find in many places. It was the smell of a building that had carpet put in during the early 70s that hasn't been washed since. And yes, it was every bit as seedy as I imagined it.
After looking around for a minute or two, the owner finally appeared and we discussed how I was interested in old video game systems. I quickly determined that he was charging more than I really wanted to pay (although not outrageously so), so I just browsed around. After he quoted me a price of $20 for an original Game Boy that was probably only worth $5, I thought I might leave empty handed. But I noticed that hanging over the counter were controllers for all sorts of video game systems. Including a gray Zapper for the Nintendo. Why is this a big deal, you ask? Because these are hard to come by. Apparently they looked too much like a real gun to be a toy, so by the time I got my Nintendo in 1990, they had been replaced by orange Zappers. Now, I'm pretty sure policemen are trained to identify weapons, and unless they are expecting an alien invasion, no one was going to mistake the gray Zapper for a real gun and shoot a child. Nevertheless, they were discontinued and I'd always wanted one. The owner's wife(?) was willing to part with it for $5, so I was about to set out on the trek back to my car.
There was one problem. She didn't give me a bag. Now, I know I said it doesn't look like a real gun, but that didn't mean I wanted to be walking down the busiest street in town in the middle of the afternoon holding a Zapper. It wouldn't fit in my cargo pocket, so I had to kind of holster it in my hip pocket and then walk the two miles back to campus trying to hide the fact that there was a huge gun-shaped object in my pocket. It was more than a little awkward, let me assure you.
At least I got my Zapper.
Although I didn't end up finding my controllers at the pawn shop, the idea stuck with me. Do pawn shops really sell video games? I don't know about anyone else, but my entire experience with pawn shops came from the episode where the Simpsons had to pawn their television to pay for family therapy. I had always envisioned pawn shops as seedy little places where desperate losers with gambling debts go to pawn their wedding rings. Or maybe where meth addicts go to hock stolen VCRs. At any rate, I'd never set foot in a pawn shop. Until today.
Curiosity got the better of me today, so I decided to locate the local pawn shop. I decided it would be good excercise if I walked there from campus after turning in my paper. I thought it would only be about a mile, but it was over two. Each way. And it was 80 degrees. And I was wearing khaki pants and a black polo shirt. Sometimes I wonder how I made it this far in school. Anyway, I finally made it to the pawn shop drenched in sweat and went inside. I'd like to tell you that the first thing I noticed was the motherload of used video games that graced virtually half the store. I'd like to tell you that, but it would be a lie. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Its was a particular smell, one you can find in many places. It was the smell of a building that had carpet put in during the early 70s that hasn't been washed since. And yes, it was every bit as seedy as I imagined it.
After looking around for a minute or two, the owner finally appeared and we discussed how I was interested in old video game systems. I quickly determined that he was charging more than I really wanted to pay (although not outrageously so), so I just browsed around. After he quoted me a price of $20 for an original Game Boy that was probably only worth $5, I thought I might leave empty handed. But I noticed that hanging over the counter were controllers for all sorts of video game systems. Including a gray Zapper for the Nintendo. Why is this a big deal, you ask? Because these are hard to come by. Apparently they looked too much like a real gun to be a toy, so by the time I got my Nintendo in 1990, they had been replaced by orange Zappers. Now, I'm pretty sure policemen are trained to identify weapons, and unless they are expecting an alien invasion, no one was going to mistake the gray Zapper for a real gun and shoot a child. Nevertheless, they were discontinued and I'd always wanted one. The owner's wife(?) was willing to part with it for $5, so I was about to set out on the trek back to my car.
There was one problem. She didn't give me a bag. Now, I know I said it doesn't look like a real gun, but that didn't mean I wanted to be walking down the busiest street in town in the middle of the afternoon holding a Zapper. It wouldn't fit in my cargo pocket, so I had to kind of holster it in my hip pocket and then walk the two miles back to campus trying to hide the fact that there was a huge gun-shaped object in my pocket. It was more than a little awkward, let me assure you.
At least I got my Zapper.
posted by Yax at 9:39 PM
5 Comments:
I had...nay still have... the orange zapper. You are right. They do not look much like real guns, but I think if you were seen walking down the street with one of those, someone might shoot you.
Also, when are you going to realize that in the summer time, one must sometimes wear shorts...and sandals. You are going to have to come to terms with it someday.
I am intensely gratified to know that you were not stopped and arrested for carrying a hidden zapper. That might be hard to explain on a job application. First, you'd have to explain what a gray zapper is. Then you'd have to explain why you went to such lengths to acquire said zapper. Finally, you'd have to explain why you had this irrational urge to conceal the existence of said zapper on your person, when the cord extending from the zapper's pistol grip is a dead giveaway that it is not a real weapon.
Ok, so here's the basic recipe (I've tripled it for easy water bottle usage):
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 1/2 lemons)
6 tbsp genuine maple syrup (Grade A Dark Amber)
3/10 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
water, medium hot (spring or purified)
You fill the water up to 30 oz (almost 1 nalgene), and you drink two nalgenes a day (60 oz. total). You can drink more or less depending on how much you think you need, but never exceeding 120 oz.
Send me your email, and I'll send you more of the instructions, including how to come off the diet.
I can't imagine Yax ever consuming anything with cayenne pepper in it -- this is the dude who would starve rather than eat an onion.
how far is IUP from Latrobe? I want to come play super smash bros.
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