Page 49 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #1

When I was in high school, the dence filled my soul with an inner
only friend of mine who had an peace I had not felt in years. I
Atari videogame was Rosalind “ pressed start and began to play.
Goldberg. Roz, as we called her, I promptly missed the damn ball
was from a family that not only three times in a row.
owned the most ultimate high tech “ Trying again, I clicked “start”
video game player available—the and again missed the ball. My sec-
Atari 2600—but also had a home ond ball shot out from its hiding
computer! They were the first on place and slowly drifted down to
the block to own a real life home my awaiting paddle. Just before
computer - an Apple II. The Gold- the ball hit my paddle, I thought to
bergs kicked ass. myself, “Is the paddle working?
I spent almost all my free time, Better check!” and whiffed it again.
with 4 other neighbors, at the Gold- On the third try, I hit it! Man, I
bergs, waiting for my chance to free time playing videogames! For smacked it! I punched it good!
play a videogame. My favorite was every second I struggled to get the Maybe not “punched,” but it did
Super Breakout. I loved the rain- paddle to hit the ball, Mrs. G had 3 lightly bounce off my paddle. I felt
bow bright colors shimmering on hours of solid playing time. That the raw energy just smacking
the Trinitron and the goofy little old bag (no hard feelings, right Mrs. something, even if it was only virtu-
noises it made. Plus, it was remi- G?) had set us up. Once Roz left ally. I felt electricity surge through
niscent of the first (and yes still my town, I figured I would never play me as the ball gently smacked a
favorite) videogame: Pong. There video games again. green square and make a cute little
was only one problem when I Then fate stepped in. “bloop” sound. As the ball gently
played: I sucked. A dear friend had heard me drifted down to my awaiting paddle,
I could not hit that ball with the boasting about how “I could have I again felt the surge of confidence.
paddle for my life! The Goldbergs been a contender,” far too many Naturally, I missed it.
(being such fair people) made sure times and so, he proceeded to pre- However, the fact that I had
everyone got a turn until they lost. sent me with a pristine condition made my first shot filled me with a
For me that was about 2 seconds Atari 2600, several cartridges and new sense of well being. No, not
and was usually to Rosalind’s a cartridge storage case (in well being…more like a sense of
mom, Gladys. Suffice to say that smoke). Amongst the collection of immense power! Like greased
every afternoon I would wait an games lay my teenage nemesis: lightening, my hand smacked the
hour for a chance to play, only to Super Breakout. reset button and I began to play
lose to a 53 year old woman who I glared at the black plastic car- again.
was suffering the ravages of meno- tridge with its simple text and color- Like a blur, my hands were fran-
pause. She was not what one ful graphics that looked nothing like tically spinning the paddle around
would call a “gracious winner.” the game and hissed, “We meet as I did battle with “the wall.” Each
My friends didn’t laugh at me again.” bing, blip and bloop the game emit-
too much because they were get- With its faux wood grain finish ted filled me with a desire to con-
ting their asses kicked too. Roz, and easy to use levers, I admired tinue.
however did manage to laugh at the sleek lines of the 2600. I let my Finally, at 4:00 AM, after 10
us...a lot. Mrs. Goldberg felt it was hand slide gently over the contact hours of continuous play, with my
her place to mock us endlessly. paper finish of the wood grain, my hands tired and my eyes red and
She would always say, “No hard fingers gently fondling the six lev- bloodshot, I put the paddle down.
feelings, right?” This was after ers. Taking the cartridge out of the While I never managed to get the
crushing the ego of a 15 year old plastic holding case (“holds up to entire wall to disappear, I feel that I
boy. 16 games!”), I inserted Super grew a lot that day. I faced an old
It was not until Rosalind was Breakout. As I picked up the pad- challenge head on and emerged
leaving for college that she finally dles my heart began to race; my with sore fingers and a personal
told me why her mom played so palms began to sweat. Suddenly, I high score (187).
well. The woman slept only 4 felt a calm envelope me and confi- In my heart of hearts, I know
hours a night and spent all of her
(Continued on page 50)
Classic Gamer Magazine Fall 1999 49