I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
Oh my God, I used to play Contra for endless hours. God I loved that game. Forgot all about it.
I think I'm an old fuck Gen Xer. I took my son there for his birthday. I'm neither proud nor ashamed, but I do still kick myself for stuff like that. I pissed away more money on shitty birthdays than just about any other wasteful thing I can think of from raising a kid. We tried some surprisingly expensive things that just weren't a lot of fun for the kids or adults. Should've saved all of that and put it toward his first car and everyone would've benefitted. Fucking birthdays.
I think I'm an old fuck Gen Xer. I took my son there for his birthday. I'm neither proud nor ashamed, but I do still kick myself for stuff like that. I pissed away more money on shitty birthdays than just about any other wasteful thing I can think of from raising a kid. We tried some surprisingly expensive things that just weren't a lot of fun for the kids or adults. Should've saved all of that and put it toward his first car and everyone would've benefitted. Fucking birthdays.
My wife is very artsy so our girls had at home themed parties. Did a Hunger Games with water balloons and squirt guns and a Walking Dead one that had a scavenger hunt with zombies. Don’t think I’ve ever been in a Chuck E Cheese.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
Oh my God, I used to play Contra for endless hours. God I loved that game. Forgot all about it.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
My friends and I were nuts in those type of play places. Someone always got fucked up in the ball pit and/or the slides. Sometimes we would start shit with other kids around our age at a different birthday party. Fun times.
One place had laser tag and I remember at one party, these two college aged dorks played with us. The lights go off and one of the guys goes, “Who just grabbed my ass?” My buddy (we were 11 or 12) that grabbed said ass,without hesitation blurts out, “He grabbed my dick first.” It’s still funny to me, but 11 year old me couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
My friends and I were nuts in those type of play places. Someone always got fucked up in the ball pit and/or the slides. Sometimes we would start shit with other kids around our age at a different birthday party. Fun times.
One place had laser tag and I remember at one party, these two college aged dorks played with us. The lights go off and one of the guys goes, “Who just grabbed my ass?” My buddy (we were 11 or 12) that grabbed said ass,without hesitation blurts out, “He grabbed my dick first.” It’s still funny to me, but 11 year old me couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard.
In high school in the 80s we would skip school and jam up to the Chuck E Cheese in Lynnwood to ply that hockey game under a bubble with rods. Never ate the pizza ever.
Never went. My wife took the kids there a time or two for birthday parties and whatnot - but she knew that wasn't a place to take me. We have an understanding.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
Oh my God, I used to play Contra for endless hours. God I loved that game. Forgot all about it.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
Oh my God, I used to play Contra for endless hours. God I loved that game. Forgot all about it.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
Oh my God, I used to play Contra for endless hours. God I loved that game. Forgot all about it.
Never went. My wife took the kids there a time or two for birthday parties and whatnot - but she knew that wasn't a place to take me. We have an understanding.
So you had to tell her about the restraining order, huh?
Never went. My wife took the kids there a time or two for birthday parties and whatnot - but she knew that wasn't a place to take me. We have an understanding.
I grew up during it’s prime, back in the 80’s. When I was young / small enough to play in the whatever you call it with the tower, tubes, nets, etc. (giant indoor big toy), it was pretty sweet. Once I was too big, then it was video games, which was a slight plus from the local mall arcade as you got 5 tokens per dollar, thus one more game play on single token/quarter games.
By the time I was in 5th grade, I had an NES, so even the video games were getting tiresome. While there at a birthday party, one of the amusement rides for toddlers/ youngsters (a space ship that basically went up and down) was closed for repairs, and the coin slot panel was loose. A friend and I looted every token out of the sucker. We then posted up by the token vending machines offering folks 6 tokens for a dollar, as opposed to the usual 5. Half the people ignored our sweet offer, which was an interesting lesson to me. I ended up walking away that night with enough cash to buy the sweet Contra sequel.
Oh my God, I used to play Contra for endless hours. God I loved that game. Forgot all about it.
Never went. My wife took the kids there a time or two for birthday parties and whatnot - but she knew that wasn't a place to take me. We have an understanding.
Tourette Syndrome is no joking matter
You're not wrong - me surrounded by a bunch of screaming kids is a powder keg just waiting to go off.
Comments
One place had laser tag and I remember at one party, these two college aged dorks played with us. The lights go off and one of the guys goes, “Who just grabbed my ass?” My buddy (we were 11 or 12) that grabbed said ass,without hesitation blurts out, “He grabbed my dick first.” It’s still funny to me, but 11 year old me couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard.
Will never forget that one either.