My life working in a shit second-hand game shop

[popcorn]

(Hope it's OK to stick this here. Couldn't find any rules about it.)

I've written a longish account of my teenage job in a shit second-hand game shop ten years ago. Weird things happened; there was a sinister cult, for example, and a bizarre war of words with another shop in the local paper, and also a hammer.

The manager invited me behind the counter. It was a strange feeling, like holding a steering wheel for the first time. There were shelves overflowing with homeless wires and third-party peripherals, stacks of games and DVDs waiting to be filed, an ancient cash register, a giant calculator, a small TV for testing consoles, handwritten notes taped to everything.

There was also a hammer.

"I've never had cause to use it," said the manager, "but you might see fit to wave it about a bit from time to time."

It was described yesterday by Mr Biffo of Digitiser as, I quote, "a good read".

It's free, obviously. But you don't have to read it. Just if you fancy it.

Thanks! Bye!

[madhair60]

Blocked at my work, can you just post it in this thread please?  Cheers, yeah.  I promise to share it and click through later if you do that.

[popcorn]

It's a bit long so I PM'd ya.

[madhair60]

ledge mate

[billtheburger]

I don't see you reading my story.

[Consignia]

I don't know where it's written, but promoting your own blogs/work is frowned upon here. H.S. Art's description is:

Not For: Self-promotion/spamming (true of all forums).

and Neil has been particularly outspoken about it in the past.

[popcorn]

Bollocks! It did occur to me that it might not be cool, so I searched for a "rules" thread but didn't think to look in a subforum.

Sorry, mates. Feel free to scrub this thread from the face of the web.

[Paul Calf]

I really like the article though.

[madhair60]

Just read it and I enjoyed it a lot, I'll share it about later.

I can relate to a fair bit of it; used to work at Gametron Exchange in Cambridge.  Fuckin state of that place.  Dodgy as fuck.

[popcorn]

Just read it and I enjoyed it a lot, I'll share it about later.

I can relate to a fair bit of it; used to work at Gametron Exchange in Cambridge.  Fuckin state of that place.  Dodgy as fuck.

Cheers!

Where was Gametron Exchange, by the way? I'm sure it was before my time (I lived in Cambridge for a few years) but I'd like to know where it was out of curiosity.

[madhair60]

Burleigh Street, right next to Blockbuster and WTs.

[popcorn]

Burleigh Street, right next to Blockbuster and WTs.

Oh, I remember going into a second-hand game shop there once a few years ago. There was an Asian bloke in there. That's all I remember.

Are you an Asian bloke?

[madhair60]

No, that was probably the manager.  A "fucking dickhead".

[popcorn]

I wasn't going to say it in case it turned out you were the Asian bloke, but I must admit I do remember him being a bit of a "fucking dickhead". I can't remember why, though. I just have a negative memory of my single encounter with him. Could be my massive racism I suppose.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I don't know where it's written, but promoting your own blogs/work is frowned upon here. H.S. Art's description is:

and Neil has been particularly outspoken about it in the past.

Are memories self-promotion? When you're asking for money I guess...

[Danger Man]

I stopped reading two words in.

It's 'your' not 'you're'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Just read it. Really enjoyed it, too, got a kind of English "Clerks" vibe to it, with added Lynch-liteness[nb]David, not Kenny[/nb]in the form of Frank and his shenanigans. 8/10, would recommend.

[popcorn]

I stopped reading two words in.

It's 'your' not 'you're'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still uncertain about whether that was a good choice of title. For that reason.

[madhair60]

Here's my blog of working in Gametron.

Kid: How much will you give me for this shrink-wrapped copy of Fifa with a Game pricetag on it?

Me: (playing Garou: Mark of the Wolves on imported PS2) Fuck off.

Kid: I'll kill you.

Me: I'll kill you mate.

(The kid leaves)

Me: Kill you mate.

[touchingcloth]

In the summer of 2002 I was 16 and wanted a job.

I was laughing to myself at what an old fucker this makes you, and then I realised that it makes you exactly the same age that I am. The years - where have they gone[nb]Answer: the same place that my hair has.[/nb]?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

^ FUCK OFF YOU YOUNG GIT

[Utter Shit]

Good read. However it was weird that you were surprised you weren't allowed to use the toilet in a shop you didn't work at any more by an employee who didn't know who you were.

[Consignia]

Are memories self-promotion? When you're asking for money I guess...

Linking to personal off site blogs is.

[madhair60]

Good read. However it was weird that you were surprised you weren't allowed to use the toilet in a shop you didn't work at any more by an employee who didn't know who you were.

I use the toilet at the shop I used to work in all the time, but I do bribe the staff with the promise of not gutting them with my huge knife.

[madhair60]

Linking to personal off site blogs is.

Mate.

[garbed_attic]

d'aww sorta heartwarming. I imagine CEX employees nowadays have similar experiences. That said, even working at M&S I had an old lady threaten to punch me.

[garbed_attic]

As for linking to off-site blogs, I guess it should probably be done in h.s. art, but popcorn's a proper VW and everything. And we let that guy who blogged about his addiction to Babe Station get away with it!

[touchingcloth]

So old. I'm so, so old. Dead soon.

[thugler]

my friend Tom told me ten years later, over a flat white in Stoke Newington

Why must we know you were having a flat white at the time?

[Steven]

So old. I'm so, so old. Dead soon.

Could you donate your body to science? I have some wanking/trapeze experiments need doing.