Life Changing Moments: When The Horse Became A Computer
When we look back at our past we can always pick out those moments that presented a fork in the road of our life. Go to the left and this would happen, altering your life in the years to come. Take the right fork and your life course was set in that direction. It’s these decisions, whether it’s ones we ourselves make, or ones that other make for us, that end up determining the very fabric of our being. They help to shape us into the people we are today.
Tales of Christmas Past
One such moment happened to me when I was 11 years old. It wasn’t a choice that I made, it was made for me by my mother and father. It would end up impacting the rest of my life in a major way.
It was Christmas time in the early 1980’s. Our family lived in the Midwest in a rural area on around 80 acres. We weren’t farmers but owned farmland that we leased out to a neighbor who grew corn, soybeans, and alfalfa on our land. My dad owned a construction company and my mom stayed home looking after the house and myself; my brothers and sisters all older and having moved away. That left just me at home, along with three dogs and a bunch of outside cats. We had a separate garage that had an attached room filled with hay for the animals, and a little swinging door so they could go in and out. My 11 year-old self took care of the dogs and cats, cleaning out their room and making sure they had food and water. I was king of the beasts.
Much of my time growing up in the country was spent exploring the woods with my dogs. I had cousins that lived a couple miles away that would sometimes come over and join me. It was paradise for a kid.
But soon I began to have dreams of exploring my kingdom another way. Sure, walking was fine, but I had 80 acres to watch over! My domain needed me to be able to arrive at a moments notice! Who knew when the frogs down by the creek or the raccoons in the hollow log would need me? I needed a quicker way to get around.
My first thought was my bicycle. At the time, mountain biking really hadn’t become a thing, so my options were limited. I already had a yellow Schwinn, complete with banana seat, but that wasn’t ideal for rough cross-country trekking. Then I thought of my buddy who lived down the county road from us. His family had a few ATV’s that they were always ridding around the countryside on. If I could convince my parents to get me one I would indeed be the hero of my 80 acre kingdom.
After broaching the subject with my dad it was clear that an ATV wasn’t in the cards. Normally I would take things to mom first, getting her on my side before approaching my father. This time however I had decided to plead my case directly to the top. Lesson learned.
Knight Rider
One day while cleaning out the animal room, still racking my brain for a solution, I had an epiphany. Looking at all the hay around me it was obvious. What eats hay and is great for riding around on? A horse would be perfect! I pictured myself as a noble knight on his trusty steed, patrolling the kingdom and keeping raccoons and frogs safe.
Having learned from my past mistake, I wisely took my absolutely brilliant idea to my mother first. She patiently listened and nodded her head. She asked several questions I had not thought of in my excitement. Where would we put it? We didn’t have a barn. I would have to constantly care for it as well, brushing and rubbing it down, mucking out it’s stall (if we had a barn), and a host of other things my 11 year old brain had not considered. But it didn’t matter! I’d deal with those things later. First I had to actually get a horse. And my mom had agreed to talk to my dad! There was hope!
As the weeks went by and fall began to creep towards winter, and most importantly Christmas, hope began to rise inside of me. While my father had not said anything specifically about getting a horse, I began to see some promising signs. He began to purchase many bales of hay from the neighbors, too many to just be used just for bedding the dogs and cats. I also spied him reading a book about, you guessed it…horses. Soon I would be thundering across the land, the wind in my face atop my very own horse!
Fate Is A Funny Thing
The fateful day soon arrived. Christmas morning. My parents handed out presents from around the tree while drinking their coffee. Tools for my dad, jewelry for mom. Star Wars figures and Hot Wheels for me. Soon all the gifts were unwrapped and nothing left under the tree. I was crushed. Then dad stood up and smiled “there is one more gift outside for you.” I leaped up and stormed outside onto our porch knowing my destiny awaited. Preparing to run from the porch into the cold December morning I stopped dead in my tracks. There on the porch was a large wrapped box. I was smart enough to figure out a horse couldn’t fit in that, my mind racing. A bridle! I bet it was a bridle for the horse that would be waiting out behind the garage! I went down to my knees and tore off the wrapping.
I’ll never forget what I saw as I looked upon the package as it was revealed. I slowly looked it over and read “TRS-80 Color Computer.” What was this? A computer? I though for a moment and realized I really didn’t know anyone who had a computer in their home. My dad had one at his office for work, a big IBM with a tiny screen that had a Star Trek game on it that was all text. That had been my experience with computers. Now before me was my very own computer.
It slowly dawned on me what had happened. My parents had totally bamboozled me. There never was a horse. All that hay really was for the dogs and cats. That book on horses my dad had been reading was all part of the ruse. Smoke and mirrors. Total con job. I didn’t care. All thoughts of a horse disappeared. Horse? Why would I want a horse? I had a computer! Visions of racing across the land were quickly replaced with dreams of zapping alien invaders and exploring mysterious ruins filled with lost treasure.
That Christmas morning my entire life changed. I was given the keys to a new kingdom, a kingdom of computers and video games. Through it, my love of reading increased dramatically and I began to write stories based on the adventures I had while playing games.
To this day there’s still a lot of my 11 year old self in me as I watch my own children grow up. Both my son and daughter love games as much as I did. They also hear the stories of exploring the woods with my dogs on the 80 acres and they wonder what it would be like to move away from the big city and into the country. Perhaps one day they will. Waking up on a cold Christmas morning, they will sit around the tree expecting to get the latest iPad or downloads for their favorite games.
Did I mention this house in the country also has a barn?
For more stories from the gaming past check out our latest episode of the G3 Show!
