The Dragon
03-26-2004, 05:39 PM
I was the last kid on my block to buy the 2600. When the Great NES was released, I didn't get one till late in the game. When the Genesis was announced, I decided I wanted to be the first kid in my neighborhood and school to have it. I began to prep my parents and convince them that this was (In my eyes) the end all be all of home systems. My father didn't say much. My Mother on the other hand didn't like the $200 tag price. I didn't even want to mention that the game I wanted was $79.99. The Revenge of Shinobi, along with the Genesis was getting closer to the promised release date. I was still begging and starving myself to save as much money as I could. The day before the system launch, my Mother calls from work and tells me something I'll never forget. "Go with your father tomorrow and buy the Genesis system and any game you want". Sounds great right? The only problem was that this wasn't for me. She wanted to buy a birthday gift for one of her girlfriend's son. I was only being used for my videogame knowledge. I was to simply choose the system and game for this anonymous kid. I felt terrible on the way to the store. I kept thinking... why would they buy this for someone else's kid and not me? We got to the store and my father told me to pick the game and throw the Genesis box in the cart. Then my envy kicked into high gear! No way is this kid getting "The Revenge of Shinobi" and I get stuck with nothing. I told my father; Dad, you know the system comes with a game. This person should be perfectly happy with "Altered Beasts". No need for you to spend the extra $79.99 on a game, when the unit comes with a perfectly great action adventure game. My father asked me if I was sure. The envy won over and we walked out with just the system. My mother got home that night and saw me lumped over a chair with my eyes almost in tears. Did you buy the system and game for my friend's son? I answered a simple "Yes Mother". She looked at me and told me with a Beautiful Mother's smile... The system is for you silly! I almost had a heart attack. I ran to the living room, tore open the box, and hooked up my new SEGA Genesis. Then it hit me... NO REVENGE OF SHINOBI!!! There was a lesson to be learned that day. I never forgot the price I paid for my envy. I had to wait a few months before I saved enough money to buy my sacred game. Still, I loved my Mother for the lesson she taught me. Even so, I was still the first kid in school and in my neighborhood to have the Genesis.