Tuesday, November 09, 2004

The Wrong Store in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

Maybe John Kerry was talking about this poor kid.

I waited in line for more than an hour for Halo 2 at the EB Games. So, it's about 1 am, and this kid in front of me is bragging loudly into his cell phone: "Yeah, I'm gettin' the game. I'm standing in line in the cold, but it's worth it." He said this perhaps 30 different times (though not different ways; always said exactly the same thing). He doggedly autodialed every kid on his phone memory, and delivered the same phrase in stentorian tones: "Yeah, I'm gettin...." Why they all needed this information, I am not sure.

You get the idea. Not one person in line would have tried to protect the kid if someone had hit him with a bat.

Anyway, we get inside and I'm still behind him. At the counter, the kid presents his pre-order receipt with a flourish.

And, the guy behind the counter says, "Um...this is for GameStop. ....you putz."

The kid runs out the door, shouting "I'm gonna kill my brother, I'm gonna kill hiiiiiiiiiiiiiim....."

Made the whole wait fully worthwhile. You don't mind waiting, if there's a show.
.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Great Mungowitz is a video game enthusiast? Say it ain't so...

If that was you behind the kid in line then good on ya for being a great dad. Standing in freezing weather outside past midnight so their kid can be among the first to play Halo 2 is admirable, even if it was so you could play too.

Mungowitz said...

Oh, HELL yeah.

The big reason to have kids is so you can play with them.

If I played video games all night at age 45: slacker/loser

If I play video games all night with my sons, on a 50 inch tv purchased for this purpose, in a game room stocked with snacks and drinks, at age 45: great dad.

and, I have two pals who are always ready to play to video games. this kids thing is a racket. don't tell my wife, tho. i don't think she suspects.

Anonymous said...

KGM,
Knowing that you are a halo fan brought a tear to my eye. That you waited in line for it last night brings another. That I have to wait until Thursday to play it (stupid law school) brings a torrent.

Anonymous said...

So after playing Halo 2, is it a worthwhile buy? Is the replay value high?

These questions may seem obvious but hype is a powerful factor. If you could mention it to your econ class on wednesday, it'd be great. :)

(By wednesday you'd have played it for a full week so any first rush of euphoria wears off and the calm light of reason and logical analysis is unhindered)