I have several intense memories that float around in my head as I write this post. It will read almost more like a memoir of crazy times playing games, fun times and bitter sweet memories.
I think the earliest impressionable memory was when I was a kid in the mid 80s. Probably around the age of 8 or so. My parents had just gotten divorced. I'd spend half the month at my mom's and the other half at my dads. My dad was a real dick head. He later got banned from living in the same county as me by the superior court. I'll save the horror stories as to why. But the half of the month living at his house was a real nightmare.
To make it easier on me, my mom bought me a classic Nintendo that I could take back n forth. I only had three games. Mario, Duck Hunt and Contra. That Nintendo was my best friend and I buried myself into hours of game play. Really it was the only companion I had when at my dads.
One day my dad stormed into my bedroom in a rage. I was just a little boy sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the TV playing Mario. He snatched my Nintendo off the ground tearing the cables out of the tv in the process. I sat there ridged and frozen. I knew an ass beating was probably next. He went on a tirade about how only losers played video games and slammed the Nintendo as hard as he could onto the old oak wooden floor. I watched in slow motion as the box shattered into hundreds of pieces.
I knew he did that just to get back at my mom who had given me the Nintendo. Again I was alone. That was the end of my early video game days.
Through high school we had the super Nintendo. I spent a few days out of the week at my best friends house frustrated as he kicked my ass at Mario Kart and Street Fighter 2. He played the games every day. So there was little hope in me actually beating him. I was elated on the few instances I was victorious. But my love for gaming was returning.
A few years later I started playing PC games for the first time. I had a friend. Lets call him Crazy Bret. No seriously Bret and his house were crazy.
Bret lived with his mom in the Hollywood hills. Just below the Hollywood sign actually in the neighborhood on the ridge of one of the hills there. His room had floor to ceiling windows that had a panoramic view of downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. At night it looked like you were looking out onto Coruscant. In front of the giant windows he had two fold out chairs. Two PCs and monitors. A pretty posh place to play games.
The only thing crazier than Bret was his mom. A batty nut job who lived downstairs. The whole upstairs were our playground though. She spent her time guzzling wine downstairs and we would spend our time guzzling vodka upstairs and playing on the PC.
One day he turned to me and said. "Hey Dave have you ever played Counter Strike before?" I hadn't and he introduced me. Holy crap that game was addicting!
Sitting side by side we'd team up and would really kick some ass. Between the two of us would be a 1 litre bottle of vodka. And we'd swig at it as we played. The drunker we got strangely the better we'd get. Bret was a hardcore
Alcoholic. For instance he once got fired from Domino's Pizza where hed be working as a delivery driver because he kept coming to work at ten am in the morning hammered. And because he'd eat slices from the pizzas as he'd go to deliver them. Customers would open their box after he'd left only to find a half eaten pizza!
I fondly remember Dust 1 & 2, Aztec and Office as our favourite boards to play on Counter Strike. I remember in Dust we'd sit in the corner of the tunnel. He'd crouch down and then I'd hop on his shoulders and like a totem pole of death we'd hose anyone entering that tunnel. We'd easily kill four or five enemies before we'd get offed.
I'd come over at noon and the next thing you know 14 hours had passed. We took no break. Didn't eat. Just played Counter Strike. The deadly duo.
One day around three in the afternoon I left his house to drive home. His mom had been extra crazy that day. Bret went downstairs to check up on his mom and found her sitting on the edge of her bed with a .380 pistol to the side of her head. When he came into the room she yelled "you!" And pointed the gun at him and fired. He shrieked and ran out off in terror and passed out in the middle of the street in front of his house, to awaken 30 minutes later to see cops and paramedics standing over him and a gunshot wound through his abdomen. And his mom in handcuffs being put in the back of the squad car. Ah good old Hollywood. Its a crazy place. She ended up doing two years time for that but that was the end of Bret and I's gaming sessions.
A year or two later drunk at a party he said something about my then girlfriend and I remember knocking him clean out in one swift blow.
I never saw crazy Bret again. But I missed gaming dearly.
A few years later I had a new gaming buddy Marc. I had an xbox then and Call of Duty was our thing.
Marc was not crazy. Or at least not in the way Bret was. My apartment was in Santa Monica at that time and it was on the way home between his house and his work. So every day hed come straight from work to my place and we'd play COD for hours. No booze this time. We had something even wilder. You see Marc worked at a prestigious gun shop in Los Angeles. He had licenses and certificates for just about anything firearm wise.
So while we'd be playing COD we actually had an arsenal in my bedroom. AKs, ARs, Glocks, Kimber 1911s strewn across the floor , leaning against the walls and spread out on the bed. An Nemo Omen in .300 in the corner. Just about every gun in COD we had right there in the room for real.
Sometimes we'd take turns playing while the other cleaned a rifle or two. Other times we'd play co op or online for hours. Almost till midnight seven days a week. We had the best fun playing COD. I remember in co op one of our dumber strategies when dealing with juggernauts was for one of to get killed right in the doorway yo a room. The juggernaut couldn't step over you and would get stuck in the door too, and my buddy would hide in the corner and blast it in the face till it would die.
The apartment was in what you could call a party building. All 20 something's college kids. Someone somewhere was throwing a party in that building at any given time. But us two were far louder than any of them while we played COD. Next door were two cute blonde girls. They'd get annoyed and yell "shut the fuck up!" Out their window at us as we played. We didn't care. We were having the time of our lives.
I still have crazy memories of Marc coming over. He'd park on the street in front of my apartment and call me. I'd run down. Find his car. Usually parked across the street, make my way across the street through gridlocked rush hour traffic and find him next to his open trunk. He was a gun collector and had on average two dozen rifles in his trunk. We'd each shoulder a few duffle bags and weave our way back across the street to my building. Wide eyed stares from people in their cars as they watched the two loons carrying bags with rifle stocks poking out the back. Hey it was a high crime neighborhood and we couldn't leave that shit in his trunk to get stolen. I'll never forget one time we did that with a cop stuck in traffic right next yo us. We made eye contact and I gave a sheepish grin. He just shrugged his shoulders back. I Mean it wasn't illegal.
Eventually Marc got annoying as I started working more because he was inviting himself over without asking. I'd come home from work exhausted and no sooner had I sat down he'd knock at the door. He later went on to become a competition shooter. I went on with a bricked out xbox, no games and a depressing work life.
This went on for a few years. Eventually I bought a PlayStation 4. But my online gaming was non existent. I played in solitude every night after work. I couldn't afford new games so i just invented them from Redbox.
One day online I met a cute australian girl online. She was an avid gamer. Fantastic author and absolutely beautiful. More importantly we clicked immediately. We felt like soul mates.
She was way more experienced a gamer than I. We'd talk for hours every day and talk video games. I'd play games, usually the ones she recommended. Through her I got exposed to so many games that I now love dearly. Games like Skyrim and many others. But Skyrim because of her still holds a special place in my heart and always will.
Eventually I gave up everything in my life, packed all my belongings into two bags and left for the airport and flew to Australia so we could live together. You see by this time I was madly in love with my beautiful gamer girl and author.
For several years I'd sit next to her on the couch and play video games. She was my game guru, the teacher and I was the student. She introduced me to The Old Republic, Banished, Dragon Age, Civilization, Minecraft and Stardew Valley. The last two games still makes me ache when I play as it still reminds me of those days sitting on the couch next to her happily playing. I didn't care where in the world I was, just so long as I was with her on the couch together. She'd coach me and give me advice on the games. Teach me how to use the PC again. I'd look over at her googly eyed, in love, together playing games. The absolute best time of my entire life.
I owe just about every aspect of my gaming knowledge and the re kindled passion for gaming to her. And I'm forever grateful for that. I loved every moment of it. Because of my memories with her I am avid about gaming. Probably will be for the rest of my life.
Now a day's I'm back here in the States. No Consul, no PC. just a tablet. No real games. I miss gaming dearly.
I plan on getting a gaming laptop in a month or two. Maybe around Christmas. I want a laptop so I can game wherever I go. I want to be able to lounge on the couch or even in bed and play. I'm not sure what laptop I'll buy because I'll probably want one built but I know I want an AMD with 32 G of ram and a nividia 2080. I'm open to advice from anyone here as to what I'll need to build a gaming beast.
But thats down the road. When I do get the system you can expect a plethora of gaming posts from me here on Hive. Until then I look forward to the day I can make new gaming memories.
Thanks for reading about my most important gaming memories. Hope you enjoyed the read.
Pictures supplied by pixabay.com
Post dedicated to @kaelci.
Your life has been like being inside a movie. I'm sorry you had a bad past, but I'm very glad you got to know video games. The best thing about games is that they are not real, they take us away from reality for a while and make us enjoy ourselves. I hope that soon you can get your computer and see your content, I am also working for a pc, currently I lack a power source to be able to turn on the motherboard I bought, after that in the not too distant future I will improve my gpu. A greeting and encouragement friend, I am sure that a better girl will come soon.
Bro you should hear my non gaming stories. The shit i could tell you. Ever seen a cop naked running down the street at 2am chasing two cackling prostitutes that are waving his gun around, that he let them see because he was trying to impress them. I have.
But yeah im with you trying to save up for a new computer. Technically i can get one now. But i need to save the money i do have to buy a car, get a place to live, and maybe move to Florida next year. This whole year is about personal growth, working and saving money and more personal growth. The computer and gaming will be my only luxury
Life is a journey and along the way the twists and turns, speed bumps, pot-holes, forks in the road, stop lights and tangents keep us guessing...Clearly your journey has been this way, like most. The good thing is that you kept moving, unperturbed by happenstance...You came out ok too, so far. I like your story, the snippets you have shared, and this is why I like hive so much...It's just a bunch of people being normal, mostly.
I like how you've linked part of your journey to gaming as it seems to have been there are pivotal moments of your life and I can tell, through your words, that it invigorates you.
I wasn't a gamer as a kid, my parents couldn't afford a console, but played Atari 2600 at a friends place and of course, a little later Duck Hunt...Best game ever.
Later on my brothers and I played some Ghost Recon. One in Finland, one in Cairns and me in Adelaide...I was good...Good at getting my ass kicked...But we had fun and so that was enough to keep playing. Good times...
I don't game now as I have other things to occupy myself with however I'm no different to you...I'm on a journey.
Bad things happen, good too, and life wouldn't be as fulfilling without both...So, that's where the phrase I end my posts comes from...The ethos of creating what I want from life, designing it...That works for me, and validates the journey I've taken so far as it's that journey which brought me to here.
Sorry, a non-gaming reply. I hope you don't mind. Keep this shit coming bro...Nice work. Passion, personality and effort...The three things that will engage me in a post.
P.s. I know how much you enjoyed Australia as we have chatted about it before. You coming back sometime?
I like your comment. I don't care if its not gaming related. It's personal and thoughtfully written which is i think the way Hive should be. It's a good example of what engagement should be like here on Hive.
My life is definitely a journey. Not sure where I'll end up but its a journey. I have one of those peculiar lives i dont talk too much about fully. Life is stranger than fiction and half my stories sound nearly made up if you didnt know me better. But theyre real.
As for australia. I'd love to go back. I'd love for it to be back to the way things were where I'd spend six months in country at a time. Probably 12 months out of every 18. I have good friends in australia i talk to every day. I'd love to visit them. However, odds are looking like I'll only be able to visit for short holidays. If i ever do I'll definitely see what youre up to. I've never been outside Queensland and id love to explore the country so much more. australia and australians feel like home to me. Always will i suppose. Home is where the heart is.
It sounds like a vibrant life and I reckon that's how it should be. Each thing in our lives is simply a thread woven into our life-tapestry and all we can hope is that one day we look back and feel it is complete as possible. Regret makes a poor friend.
Oh yeah man, come down...Clearly not yet because of covid and all, but get down and we'll have a burger and talk some shit. :)
Its a plan. I love aussie burgers. Took me a while to get used to them. Now i miss beet on my burgers. And sausage sizzles. So simple but you cant find them in the states. I also miss CC's. So much better in my opinion than doritos. Can't find rissoles either. Im like wtf those should be everywhere.
You're down in Adelaide area right?
Now I want a burger, sausage sizzle and CC's...Lucky I'm in Aus! Lol. (Bunnings sausage sizzles are back on by the way).
Yeah, people don't get the beetroot in the burger thing...Until they try it. Lol.
Adelaide yes, a long way from Brisvegas and the big-smoke of Sydney and Melbourne...But it works for me.
I heard Adelaide is better than Sydney or Melbourne anyways. I've got no urge to go to either syd or mel. I'd love to see cairns. I love anything tropical. Partly why im concidering moving down to south florida in a year or so. Its the exact same weather as Harvey bay. But the coral reef is pretty much directly accessable at key largo.
I also miss party pies. Damn i could eat an aussie feast right now. You know what I can't find anywhere where in the states that i loved. Cheap packets of migoreng. Its all top ramen bull crap here. True our bbq is better and cuban food is unbelievable. But i miss Aussie cooking. Roo is awesome. I'd eat a fillet of that in a heartbeat. I got good at cooking it. Kanga bangas too. I gotta admit americans dont know their hot chips. Boring basic salt on them. Hot chips the aussie way with chicken salt..cant beat em.
Chicken salt...Now I know you're an Aussie at heart! Lol.
I can pretty much plot my journey's around the world by the food I've eaten...We've got some good ones down here for sure though, and because it's so multi-cultural we have some great selections from other countries.
I'm yet to have a true Texas BBQ as I haven't been to the States...But I'll get there someday.
Now...Might get me some hot chips with chicken salt...
Edit: I'll send you some chicken salt in the mail if you like.
Bruh... This was a crazy story, lol. I probably would have pooped my pants while crying if my dad smashed my NES. I tried getting into Counter Strike, but I have always found it to be boring and the community is super toxic. One of my favorite things to do while playing CoD was to get drunk and see how good I would get. I still sucked at the game by the time I was pretty drunk though.
Ha! Im not the only one who played COD drunk! As for counterstrike yeah the clans got elitist and toxic over time. That's why we would just let us two get auto assigned.
As for the Nintendo and my dad. I always shit myself when he was around. He was a bad guy.
I'm glad that you still consider the memories to be happy ones and haven't transformed them into sad ones, and am happy that you are looking forward to getting a gaming laptop and getting more into gaming. 🙂
Might I recommend Clevo brand. They're the American equivalent of my Metabox and I can't recommend it enough, it's fantastic.
Thanks for the heads up about Clevo. I'll probably be asking you advice on all sorts of stuff when the time comes to actually get it built.
As for the memories. They were the best ones in my life. I miss them though more than air its self. But i became a better person because of them and am going through radical personal transformation.
Oh man, this is by far one of the craziest stories I've ever read. I hope you can soon have the laptop you want to follow your adventures.
Yeah i need to get one. Im hoping in two months or so.
Dang Dave, they should just turn your life into a video game bro! hahaha Great post and very intrapersonal! I like how you wove your experience and the gaming respites into one another. Keep on Keepin' on! and just remember...
"Dave's not here maaaan..."
No! I'm dave! Common open the door man. The cops are here!
I ain't never heard of no labrador before. Wait dont take that! Ohh man! ....
This aint the half of it. I'll be posting some of my crazy stories soon on hive. For better or for worse.
Looking forward to the Chronicles of Dave
They're coming. Soooon.
Wow dude, Im sorry you have been through all that, what an emotional post. Im happy in the end you had videogames all the way supporting you.
Thanks. Gaming is something i really respect more than ever and its a useful thing to add to your life for both fun, and cathartic therapy. It brings comfort.
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This struck a chord, not just the abuse but the fact you mentioned slow motion. Did the action slow down while you watched? It happened to me, just once when I was a kid. Never happened since.
Yeah tachypsychia. When you witness something in slow motion and all the little details stay with you forever in photographic memory like a video that haunts you, that you can rewatch over and over for better or for worse. Usually happens to people in duress.
I've had it happen a few times. But I can still see the bits of the Nintendo bounce off the floor and splash across the room to this day.
"Research suggests that tachypsychia is a stress reaction induced by a combination of high levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. The chemicals impact the uptake and processing of information in the visual processing center."
Source: https://www.samatters.com/understanding-stress-part-8-time-distortion/#:~:text=Research%20suggests%20that%20tachypsychia%20is,in%20the%20visual%20processing%20center.
I have looked it up in the past, just not come across anyone it happened too before. I was around 10 and saw a car crash, dude come crashing through the window-screen, blood everywhere. Just bits of it left in my memory.
It's happened to me on a few occasions. I think some people are more prone to it than others. Every fight, every traumatic thing ive witnessed has an element of it for me. Good to know that im nit alone though and someone else has experienced it. That must gave been traumatic to see especially at ten.
I guess it was, the events leading up to it were also slowed down, like I knew it was going to happen. Was it the same with you? That NES must have been your life., what happened to you was horrible.
Yeah you kinda saw it coming and braced yourself and then it just unfolds in slow motion before you.
That Nintendo was my only companion outside of school when I went to my dads house. It was a large house and i was fairly isolated. The Nintendo was all I had to look forward to when I was there.
My dad was a violent man. Psychologically abusive too. I remember my big sister jumping in front of me when she was ten to take beatings meant for me. Sadly my sister and I are on different paths these days and we barely talk or get along.