Page 63 of Taming Georgia

“Can’t say that I have.”

I survey the space. Pinball Pete’s seems to be an old-school arcade. There are standing game machines everywhere. I spot Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Tetris, Frogger, and Rampage. There are pinball machines lining the aisles, and rows of ball games along the back wall. The place is full of beeps, dings, and bells.

It even smells old, reminding me of the scent of a vintage bowling alley. I remember attending a classmate’s birthday party at a bowling alley right before my dad was shot, and it smelled just like this. It’s the only time I’ve ever been bowling, and I can still remember it so clearly.

“Isn’t this great?” Georgia asks, her voice full of enthusiasm.

“Yeah, it’s cool.”

“I was reading up on it. There’re very few retro arcades left. I thought you’d love it.”

We stand in front of the quarter machine, insert money, and each get a bucket full of coins.

“Which game is your favorite?” I ask her.

She looks around. “I haven’t really played any of them before. London and I weren’t really into video games. Which one is your favorite?”

My lips turn up. “Honestly? I don’t know if I’ve ever played any of these.”

“Are you serious? You’ve never played Pac-Man or”—she scans the names of the games—“whatever other popular games are in here?”

“No. After my dad died and my mom…well, you know…we didn’t have much money. I never played any of these or had any of the old gaming stations either. I didn’t have money until I was older, and by then, I had other things to spend my money on. I guess I missed the whole gaming buzz.”

Georgia’s shoulders slump. “I took you on the worst date ever.” She pouts out her bottom lip.

“No, it’s very thoughtful. I love it. Just because I didn’t play when I was a kid doesn’t mean I can’t learn now, right? Come on.” I grab her hand. “Which one should we start with?”

“I feel like Pac-Manis the most popular. At least, that’s the one I’ve heard about the most,” she says.

“Well, we are the blind leading the blind here, aren’t we?” I let out a chuckle.

“Look! There’s a girl Pac-Man.”

“You try it first,” I tell Georgia as we approach Ms. Pac-Man.

She sits down on the stool and inserts two of the quarters into the slot.

The game starts.

“Okay, so there are balls,” she says.

“Move the joystick. I think she eats them.”

Georgia moves the stick, and the yellow creature with the big mouth starts chomping on the balls.

“There are colored ghosts,” she exclaims. “Do you think they are friends or foes?”

“I’m guessing they’re the enemy.”

“But what if they give me more power or something. Like a supercharge.”

“A supercharge for what?”

“For eating more balls.”

I let out a loud laugh. “I don’t know, Peaches.”

“I think they’re…” She drives Ms. Pac-Man into the blue ghost, and she dies. “Crap, they’re foes.”

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