This is the story of my childhood…
I lived in Cornwall, a small Canadian town; population 50,000. I lived on Leonard Ave. in the Riverdale neighborhood. When I was 5 years old I decided to start playing Soccer. I joined the Cornwall Kinsmen Soccer League, a small house-league. Any youngling playing Soccer in Cornwall was playing in this league. I was placed on Team United. We wore the red Umbro jerseys and then we had the mandatory black shorts with the socks and cleats. I don’t remember much of my summer with the team. All I remember… all that I had to remember… was the red Umbro jersey.
Summer had ended and Fall was upon us. I was in the first grade. I loved trading my Pokémon cards at school, everyone had them. I had around 50, not too much, not too little. My favorite card was Charmeleon. I don’t remember why, I just know that it was. All this to say that I was very interested in Pokémon, so much that I had gotten the Pokémon Red Version, for my Gameboy, for my birthday the previous April. My Gameboy was the first model. The one that looked like a mini-SNES. The screen was green and black, very poor quality, but I loved playing that game.
One day, when summer ended, I was playing in the back yard. My aunt and uncle were visiting. This is relevant because when I saw the boy with the red Umbro jersey in my neighbors yard, my uncle is the one who lifted me over this boy’s fence to go play with him. He was playing Soccer with his father, sister and 2 dogs, Rascal and Pal. Of course I didn’t just invade his backyard, I was given permission by his father. After having played Soccer with them for a few hours, my parents took their phone number and I had just met my childhood best friend.
His name was Ryan. He had the same Gameboy as me with a few games like T.M.N.T. and Super Mario, but the one game he had that mattered was his Pokémon Blue Version. The next important thing that he had, which was the reason we were always at his house, was his trading cord. We played together for the next 5 years. I eventually got Blue and Yellow Version. He then bought Silver and Crystal, so I got Gold and Silver. We went through the Ruby and Sapphire phase as well. I had Kyogre and he had Groudon. But I could speak for both of us when I say the Original Six were our favorites.To this day, we both have Nintendo DS consoles and the more modern Pokémon games as well.
I had to share this story. It is proof that the smallest things can last a lifetime.
Leave comments, questions or stories of you own.
I READ THEM ALL.
