I hadn't been to my hometown since my family fled during the Great Recession. When I got a chance to run an errand there I got excited about seeing it again, seeing what happened since. Maybe I would even meet my childhood sweetheart.
The bus driver couldn't believe how much it cost when he calculated the return ticket. I guess people didn't travel there much. He was more used to driving people from city to city with "recession buster deals". Unfortunately, this town didn't escape the extreme national austerity measures.
It was a very weird feeling when I arrived and got off the bus. The town was very quiet. Some of it looked like a time capsule where little changed and the rest of it looked derelict. I feared the worst... My childhood sweetheart's family owned an arcade here. I loved it but arcades weren't doing that well even before the recession hit.
I arrived at the arcade and that same warm feeling from years ago hit me. I could hear sounds inside, which gave me hope! I went inside. The same old arcade cabinets from the 80s and 90s were here and they were switched on, but there wasn't anyone here. The only things in here that didn't seem like it came from the past were the cleaning machines.
I didn't waste any time. I went to my favourite game and started playing. Loud sounds came out of the machine. All my play techniques were coming back to me from memory. Everything was coming back from those days! All except my childhood friend... she used to play the game with me.
Just then I heard my name being called. A rusty door opened slowly and a wide-eyed head popped around the door. It was her! She knew it was me from the unique way I played the game back then! She rushed towards me and gave me a hug. It was short lived as the game was going on. She joined in next to me and we relived old times! Playing, chatting... it was a wonderful catch up!
The recession wasn't kind to them either. They were able to stay thanks to tourist seasons, but they weren't able to keep everything going the rest of the year. In fact, it was only today for the first time in many years that our favourite game was switched on.
"It's a sign!" she said.
I laughed. "I wish, but I'm here on an errand, to deliver this package".
It was actually for her. the package was a special catalogue. It was furnishings for "barcades" and bowling alleys and themed pizza party rooms. It looked like arcades were making a comeback. Not a single tacky gambling machine anywhere either.
"Wow" I said, "Things are looking kinda hopeful for the kind of games we like"
She nodded, with tears in her eyes. "Slowly but surely. I'm glad you're here to see it too. Welcome home old friend!" she said before giving me a hug. I was indeed home!
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