overheard

heather's parents: so, what kind of games do people our age usually buy?

best buy salesman: um... they don't.

back when nintendo was a huge gray plastic box and mastering level seven of super mario was about the most exciting thing a kid could do, my friend heather's parents caved to the pressure and bought their daughters the coveted game system. the girls quickly bored of it, but late at night, after the kids went to bed, sharon and david snuck downstairs and quietly, but enthusiastically, competed to save the princess.

years came and went, and eventually the girls moved out of the house. they couldn't justify keeping the nintendo with no "kids" in the house to play it, so it was sold at a garage sale without the girls ever knowing about their parents' closeted obsession.

a few years went by, the girls got married, and david and sharon reluctantly settled into video game free life. now, normally strict, serious parents are known to become mush in the face of grandchildren, but heather's parents went a little overboard. their eldest granddaughter's birthday rolled around and in they skipped to best buy.

they perused the game systems and settled on what the salesman said was the most popular type at the moment. As they paid for it, they quickly made a list of games they'd like to get "for their granddaughter."

best buy salesman: so how old is your granddaughter?

heather's parents: she'll be two on thursday. we'll just keep the console at our house.

best buy salesman: i see...

unfortunately, they don't make super mario brothers for the x-box 360.