Historical November 1993 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Her hand fell.
A streak of crimson eye shadow ran down her cheek.
Her allergies were gone, but that Benedryl she had taken was still making her drowsy. “Hey, people!” was heard from the downstairs kitchen. “I’m coming, Dad!” said Jason. Soon Jason was seated at the table, saving a seat for his mom. Slowly she came into the dining room, dragging one foot in front of another. “Feeling better?” asked Bruce in a slightly sympathetic voice.
There was a blank expression on her face. “Mom! What happened to your cheek?” wondered Jason. Agatha replied, “I was doing my makeup and I lost it.” “Right,” said Jason casually. Bruce’s mouth dropped open.
He made a sound that suggested unfairness. “Honey, put down the paper and eat,” said Agatha with a mouthful of tortellini. “Mom, that’s sick,” mumbled Jason.
He liked to say things that were usually said to him. “Uh, what didga say?” asked Agatha.
Her voice was getting tired again. “Never mind,” said Jason with impatience. Bruce said loudly, “I still can’t believe it.” “Believe what?” asked Agatha, who was instantly interested. “The Billikens lost the game.” “You like the Billikens?” “Why do you care about the Billikens, Honey?” “I lost two hundred on the Billikens.” “But…but…well…” Agatha stopped to think about this. Bruce was relieved to see this, because, like Jason, he couldn’t stand to be criticized by her. “What were you thinking? No one in their right mind would bet two hundred bucks on the Billikens!
The Billikens aren’t even adults!” Jason tried to yell as loud as he could.
He wanted to make it as awful as it could sound. Jason continued, “I’m full. Well, actually.
I lost my appetite!” He marched over to the door. “You know, two hundred is more than a Nintendo costs,” and with that he ran up the stairs. Agatha and Bruce sat there wondering. Jason had put on some show. Jason dashed in front of the Nintendo and quickly turned it on.
His second favorite game was Super Mario Bros. 3.
He hadn’t played it yesterday, so he decided to play it today.
After Jason had gone through three levels, there was a place called Toad’s House. (You need to go in there and get a prize. Now, once you enter Toad’s house, your friend Toad, who is a mushroom man, welcomes you by talking through a message box.) Jason moved Mario over, then went into Toad’s House.
The message box is supposed to say: “PICK A BOX. ITS CONTENTS WILL HELP YOU ON YOUR WAY.” The message box appeared.
The letters popped up: “HEY, KID. HURRY UP ALREADY. IF YOU DON’T GET A MOVE ON, I’M GONNA KICK YOU TO KINGDOM COM.” Jason almost fell through the floor.
He quickly turned off the Nintendo.
He thought it might be breaking down.
He thought, “Kingdom corn?” 0 In the morning Jason still hadn’t told anyone.
He didn’t want to tell his parents, because he couldn’t think of anything more embarrassing than explaining a crime to its owner, or whatever you call it when someone sends threatening messages through a Nintendo.
He lay in bed praying that it was Friday yesterday and Saturday today.
He checked his Garfield calendar that he had gotten on his last birthday, although he was surprised to get it on his tenth birthday.
It was Saturday.
While he was watching Garfield, not too long after, he thought that while his parents were doing their weekend shopping, he could call some people on the phone to help him with the Nintendo incident.
It sounded a little crazy, him being a kid and all that, but he was adventurous most of the time.
After his parents had left and given him the usual safety directions, (which really annoyed Jason to hear than every week), he went straight for the phone book.
He read the names off to himself. “the Dolly Shop…Dilno’s Pizza…oh, okay. Dastardly Doodles Electronic Repair.” A few minutes later he changed his mind.
With a name like that, he didn’t really trust them.
He came across another one he liked:”DaylandCoffee/ComputerRepair.” Nice name.
He picked up the cellular phone that he had kept beside him.
The first time he dialed, he missed the four.
He dialed again and got a hold of someone after five rings. “This is Dayland Coffee and Computer Repair. Got a computer problem or just wanna cup of tea?” the voice said. “Computer problem.” “I thought so.” “Anyway, someone’s trying to send messages to me through my Nintendo.” “What’s wrong with that?They might he trying to help you.” “I don’t think so. Especially with a message like: ‘Hurry up or I’ll kick you to kingdom com.— “Okay, so…do you wanna make an appointment, oh, maybe tomorrow?” Jason didn’t know.
He might not be able to get out of the house tomorrow. Jason thought he could pretend to take his Pomeranian dog for a walk.
But he didn’t know where the Dayland place was. “Where are you located?” “At the corner of Skinker and Kingsbury.” “What time should I he there?” “Fourish.” “Fourish?” “It means around four.” “Okay.
My name is Jason Allen.” Beep.
He quickly turned off the phone.
Now all he had to do was wait. Jason was completely bored now.
He couldn’t think of anything to do. Within two minutes he wasglaring at the Nintendo screen. Jason wanted todo something else with the Nintendo problem.
He needed someone else to call. Maybe there was something wrong with the game itself.
If so. someone who has been in contact with the game before might know something. Ideas raced through Jason’s head.
The guy who sold him the game…the guy from Blockbustcrl After Jason had purposely killed all his people and quit the game, which was not Super Mario 3, he looked up Blockbuster Video in the phone book.
As he dialed, he missed the eight twice.
When someone picked up the phone on the other end.lason talked immediately artdquickly. “Arc you the guy from Blockbuster with the blond hair and the long face that’s stubby at the bottom and wears those long black t-shirts that are black with red, green and yellow writing on them and they’re all from Target across the street?” “Which one?” Jason swallowed a giggle.
Then Jason said, “I think his name is something like Jamie Woods.” “Oh, Forest!” “Yeah. Whatever. Can I sec him sometime?” “Why don’t you ask hint?” “Oh…well, what’s his phone number?” “Four million, three hundred fiftyone thousand, seven hundred forty-five.” “I’m thinking of a phone number.” “That was a phone number. Four three five, one seven four five.” After the phone number was repeated and was written down, Jason hung up. Jason again picked up the cellular phone and tried to reach the Forest person.
A scream echoed out of the Allen house. Jason was sick and tired of screwing up with the phone every single time. “Is this anything important?” A mellow male voice said through the phone. “Yes!” Jason almost yelled. “Who is this?” the person asked. “We met about a year ago. I’m Jason Allen.” “Oh. um…I think I remember you. Yeah, you’re the best customer that ever walked through that door.” “You sold me that Super Mario 3 game.” “What about it?” “There are evil and abnormal messages coming through my Nintendo when I play that paniculargame.
I thought maybe you would know something about it.” “Sure. I’ve got nothing else to do.” “What is your name, anyway?” “Forest. Forest James.” “Is that your real name?” “No, actually irsJames Alo1.1 got the name from a long time ago.
My middle name is Forseman, and after people had stopped calling me J.F.A. (James Foreseman Alol), which they thought was funny, because it’s close to J.F.K., They thought my middle name sounded like ‘Forest,’ so they called me Forest James.” “Interesting. Anyway, I’ve already called another person to help me. She’s from Dayland Coffix/Computer Repair.” “Well, I wouldn’t mind meeting her. So this is gonna be like a three person detective thing?” “I guess. I’m going to the Dayland place tomorrow, and you could meet me in front of my house.
I live at seventy-two, twenty-four Waterman. I’ll he with my dog pretending to go on a walk with her.” “Okay, sure. What time?” “About three forty-five.” “Okay. Bye.” “Bye.” Jason hung up.
After his parents had come home, Jason just finished up his game of “Wizards and Warriors” (which he had just beaten): He plopped down the steps. “Did you get those great Eagle ranch chips?” Jason got excited just with the thought of them. “Two bags!” said Bruce. “Woohoo!” Jason grabbed a hag of chips and shot hack up the steps like an inflatable raft loosing its air. “Don’t eat too many! We’re having macaroni and cheese for dinner!” Another muffled”Wooh0000!” came from the upstairs bathroom. 0 Sunday afternoon when Jason came hack from church and changed his clothes, he went for the Nintendo.
He was going to experiment with the Super Mario 3 game.
When he reached Toad’s House, the words said this: “OH. YOU’RE BACK.
I THOUGHT I’D NEVER GET TO TELL YOU WHAT I’M GOING TO DO. ANY DAY NOW I’M GOING TO GET YOU…BIG!” Sweating, Jason checked his watch.
It was three twenty-six.
He turned off the Nintendo and went to the bathroom until three forty-three. “Mom,” I’m taking Avel for a walk!” Jason ‘called his dog. “Alvetica!” Avel catneitopping over like she was covered with laquer and couldn’t move.
They went over to the front room and waddled out the door. Jason saw a stick figure coming down the sidewalk that had a little bounce in every other step.
As it turned into Forest James, Jason walked toward him.
Then Jason said. “Forest! We’ve got about fifteen minutes. Let’s go!” “Which way is that place you were talking about?” “This way,” Jason jerked his head over to the far side ()I’ thc street a little. Eventually they turned the corner and saw the building three blocks away. “Let’s go up these steps,” said Jason as they arrived in front of the two stairway deck.
There was an annoying little hell that made a little “Bing, ping” as they came through the front door. “Are you here for an appointment? Ulf. what’s your names?” asked a short Black lady with curly, bouncy hair. “I’m lason—.” Forest took over, “Yeah, this is Jason Allen and I’m Forest and we’re here for an appointment with someone about a Nintendo problem.” “Are you two related?” “No!” Jason softly shouted. “She’s up the stairs and to the left. Would you like a cup of coffee?
We have cappuccino.” “Decaf,” said Forest as he slightly tilted his head.
The lady reached behind the counterand pulled out a mug of coffee that said: —THE SECRETTO OUR SUCCESS IS THE GREAT COFFEE WE DRINK.” Forest, after he had gulped dow n most of the coffee, swung over to the stairway and Jason followed. Forest knocked on the door and a tall redhead with mostly grey patterned clothes opened it. “Hi, I’m Forest James.” “And I’m Jason Allen.” “No relation.” they both said at the same time. “I’m Alex Dayland.
I run this place.” she said. “We’re hereabout a certain Nintendo problem.’ called hereearlier and I thought you could help us. He’s from Blockbuster where he sold me that video game.” Forest landed on the couch and bounced as he swayed from side to side.
To the side of the window there was a black painting with other colored splatters of paint that was surrounded by a light pink wall. “So what kind of a Nintendo problem is this?” Alex walked over to Jason as she talked. “When I play Super Mario 3 and I reachToad’s House. weird messages show up. “What kind of messages?” “Get out or I’ll kick you to kingdom com; any day now I’m going to get you big.” “What’s Kingdom corn?” “I don’t know, but that’s the way it was spelled.” “Do you have any ideas of who it might be?’ “Only my dad.” Forest joined in. “Is Alex your nickname?” “Yeah.
My real name is Alexandra.” “Oh…Nice view of the park!” “Why your dad? Has he done something like this before?” Jason got up from a large leather chair and said, “No.
But I don’t think he would hesitate scaring me, Just recently he lost two hundred bucks on the Billikens!” (To be continued) (The Times will consider publishing fiction and nonfiction writing from its readers-youngpeople andadults. Mail or drop off manuscripts at the Skinker-DeBaliviere office.
The Times would prefer receiving stories on 3.5″ computer disks as well as on paper, if possible.)
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November 1993.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1993_11.pdf, printed page(s) 6, 7; PDF page(s) 6, 7.
