April 4, 2008
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Live performance at Blockbuster
It's Saturday afternoon, March 29. I'm in Dallas, waiting for Mike at Blockbuster. The store features a video game lounge with a leather sofa, an XBOX 360 and a 42-inch LCD. The game on display is Guitar Hero 3. I own the Wii version.
I pick up a guitar controller and test its weight in my hands.
A clerk approaches me. "Would you like to play?"
Sure.
I select the expert level and choose my best song: "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." I haven't played in a while, but I'm hitting my notes. The clerk turns up the volume throughout the store.
I finish the song, and Mike walks in. He's never played before. I teach him how.
Mike plays the same song on the easy level. On his second try, he gets all the way through. Nice.
Two clerks approach me. "You're really good. Can we request a song?"
Sure.
They want Metallica, "One."
I know that song. It's really hard, with rapid runs that cramp my hands. I've never played it above medium level. Today, I'm playing on expert. It's two notches higher.
Three clerks are watching me now.
Here we go! So fast so fast so fast so fast.
There we went. I wipe out. That was the longest thirty seconds ever. So embarrassing.
I dial it down to the hard level. Lemme try again.
Ah, this is much better: just challenging enough. I'm sight-reading but doing fine.
This song is really long. I last five minutes, but conk out with two minutes remaining. The clerks applaud enthusiastically. I laugh and put down the guitar. Mike and I go to check out the new DVD releases.
A minute later, the first clerk comes over. What is he holding?
"I want you to have these coupons, man. They're good for two free coffees at the Starbucks next door. I hope you'll come back and play again tomorrow, because that was really entertaining."
I am king of the nerds.
Comments (5)
I tip my hat to you. Now that I know the songs involved the story is just that much more entertaining. And yeah "One" is a rather difficult song, but a good one.
cool. i'm glad that slash didn't come out of you like an alien.
You probably would have lasted longer on the expert level if you'd toked up.
No, seriously.
This is the perfect story because it has a beginning, a middle and an end. Next time I go to that Blockbusters I expect royal treatment since I was with the King of the Nerds.
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