2000's Nostalgia

It’s a hot summer night in the year 2000. Mom and I just finished cleaning up dinner and I ask her if I can ride my bike up to the corner store like I do every Friday evening. She slips me a $5 bill from her wallet and tells me to be safe, make sure I look both ways before crossing the street. I give her a kiss goodbye and run out to the back shed to pull out my bright yellow mountain bike.

Slipping the strap of my helmet off my handlebar, I fasten it to my head. Mom would freak if she ever saw me riding without a helmet. I start pedaling down the driveway and turn right to head to the store, staying on the sidewalk as Mom doesn’t want me riding on the road. I pedal past the neighbour’s house, past the walkthrough that leads to the playground, and stop when I hit the bend in the road. I look both ways before crossing the street. I pedal through the parking lot of the plaza and stop in front of “Video 99”. I lean my bike up against the front of the shop, unsecure my helmet hanging it on my handlebar, and go inside.

I say hello to the nice man who owns the shop, he smiles with recognition when he sees me walk in. I head over to the wall of N64 games available for rent and scan my options. I see a few games that I already have at home: Mario Kart, Pokemon Snap, Super Mario 64, and Diddy Kong Racing.

I see a few other games that I have rented in past weeks: Super Smash Bros, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Pokemon Stadium, and Rugrats.

I pause as I see a new game I haven’t rented before: Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls. I take it off the shelf and admire the front picture: it has a smiling green ball on the front and looks like some kind of racing game. I wonder if I should try this one or stick with my favourite rental that I know I'll enjoy. I scan the shelf to see if it’s there.

Not seeing it, I ask the shop owner if he has Mario Party 3 available to rent, he responds that he doesn’t. Not surprising. It is one of the most popular games and is usually rented. I guess I’ll go with the new green ball game. I bring the game up to the counter and give the owner the $5 bill. He changes the money in the till and gives me back $2. He puts the game into a “Video 99” bag and reminds me to bring the game back Sunday by 5pm. I promise that I will, thank him, and leave. Then I go next store to the convenience store.

I head straight for the candy aisle and scan my options, wondering what I should spend my remaining $2 on.

Baby Bottle Pop – always a good option.

Push Pop – amazing, but it’s best to eat it in one sitting, or else it gets stuck when you try to push it back up.

Ring Pop – another good option, but again, you have to eat it in one go.

Airheads – no way, I don’t understand why the kids at school love them so much.

I pick up two boxed options: Nerds and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans – the newest product.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was just released. Mom and I have been reading it together before I go to sleep every night. I turn over the box to look at the flavours of Every Flavour Beans: Cinnamon, Cherry, Candyfloss…so far so good…Earwax, Soap, Vomit. I put the box back on the shelf. I’m not brave enough to try soap or earwax.

I settle on the Nerds and take it to the front to pay the shop keeper. I give her the $2 and she gives me back 75cents. I ask the lady if I can spend the rest on single Fuzzy Peaches and Sweedish Berries from the scoop boxes, and she lets me know how many I can take. I add my little bag of single treats and my Nerds to my bag with the rental game and head back to my bike.

I take my helmet off my handlebar and replace it with my bag full of goodies. Securing my helmet to my head once again, I mount my bike and head back across the parking lot. Being careful not to let the swinging bag hit the front tire, I stop at the street to look both ways before crossing. Then I continue pedaling around the bend, past the walkthrough that leads to the playground, and past the neighbour’s house. Turning left onto my driveway I pedal to the back shed and put my bike and helmet away.

Running back into the house, I greet my mom and show her excitedly all the goodies I bought. She smiles and shakes her head; she doesn’t understand why I like those silly Nerds so much.

I head to the living room and jam Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls into the console. Flipping the switch, I am met with a plain black screen…Hmm. I pull the game back out and blow into the open side. Jamming the game back into the console I try again, success! It’s going to be a good night.