Page 24 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #7

On the Road
On the Road
On the Road

to Pinball Pete’s
to Pinball Pete’s
to Pinball Pete’s

By Chris Larson

O ONE common interest. Who knows what away for the day. We were about 45 min-
ne hour east to go, and the road
was wide open - it was relaxing
people are "really" like, right? And perhaps
utes late when we finally stopped by Jess'
and nervous, like Easy Rider
most importantly, you present yourself far
apartment. We were back on the highway
meets Gilda Radner.
We were
As I thought over these concerns, I came to
inching our way toward Ann Arbor, MI be- differently in person than in a forum setting. in just a few minutes.
I found it extremely easy to strike up a
hind an endless racetrack of travelers, and the conclusion they were nonsense. I really conversation with Jess while we were driv-
trapped in our own thoughts. The mental wanted to meet other gamers -- most peo- ing. You see, back in the early nineties,
confinement didn't last long. "I can NOT ple that I've met in Grand Rapids aren't Jess was a fanzine editor -- and a hell of a
believe the new Meijer's logo," Jess sighed. passionate about games. Besides, the cartoonist (still is). Writing fan magazines
Glancing at the truck we were passing, I idea of going to a massive arcade was just was something that I had done during that
noticed what was possibly the most nonde- too good to pass up. My wife and I an- same stretch of time. That is, until the cost
script "unique identifier" I've ever seen. And nounced that we'd be headed to the event, of college broke me of my nasty habits, like
that would be the metaphor for the day. It and I offered to give one of the forum mem- eating food worth more than three dollars,
was the most uniquely average day that bers a lift, because I knew that his ride had or writing about anything remotely interes t-
you could have. fallen through just a day or two before. ing. It was nice to catch up with him and
Jess Regan (“ManekiNeko” in the Digital So, before getting to an Arbor, we had discuss what it was like creating a fanzine
Press forums), my wife and I (“larsoncc”) to make a side stop in Ionia, where in the early nineties. I had brought a
were headed to a video game meet up in "ManekiNeko" lives. Ionia was a flooded satchel of E3 goodies for Jess to peruse
Ann Arbor, Michigan. The folks in the Atari disaster area. There were uprooted trees too. We talked about E3 quite a bit, which
Age and Digital Press forums decided that floating within a few feet of the road, and was fresh in my mind, because the show
it would be a good idea to have everyone the whole place had an abused, forlorn had ended just the week prior. Already, I
meet at a gigantic arcade called Pinball look, like a cat fresh out of the shower. To could tell that this trip was worth taking -- I
Pete's. The organizers, known to most as force-feed the town some sunshine, Ionia had been wanting to relate my experiences
"Achika" and "Mr. Food Monster," rallied declared that it was celebrating "Beer to someone that was interested.
the troops in their respective forums, while I Drinking and Run-Down Rides Days" or After about an hour and a half more on
mostly watched from the sidelines. something of that ilk. If the massive glob of the road, we entered Ann Arbor. From the
For some reason, deciding to meet pedestrians was any indication, it was a highway, Ann Arbor looks deceptively
"Internet People" never comes easily for popular little event. It's my guess that Ionia small, filling the spaces between trees.
me. In the back of my mind, I was initially ran out of Pabst Blue Ribbon that magical Ann Arbor wasn't hidden from sight for very
thinking of reasons why I shouldn't go. day. If you combine the convenience of long -- after all, the town has a university
Meet-ups mean losing some of the ano- main streets being closed, throngs of carni- with 40,000+ people attending. Our desti-
nymity associated with forum posting. val fans (*shiver*), and the Swamp Thing nation, Pinball Pete's, was easy to find. My
Meet-ups can also have some strange re- preparing an all-out assault on the town, it's wife was able to navigate the streets with
sults -- after all, most forums center around pretty easy to see why Jess wanted to get ease, despite MapQuest's attempts to drive