Birthday Gifts and My Love of Pokemon

Yesterday was my birthday and I turned 25 which means I can go through my quarter life crisis. Birthdays for me have always been a non holiday, but I will admit its feels nice when people acknowledge you for a day. My parents always get me a little gift, this year a couple of books from my dad and a video game from my mom. However the best and earliest gift I can remember was actually given by my grandpa which is weird. My grandpa and my father dont get along too well and their relationship has pretty much been non existent for my entire life.

My father was basically forced out of his home when he was 18, my grandfather married 4 times to horrible step mothers and my fathers life was very dysfunctional. So if I even do hear from my grandfather for my birthday, its usually just a card. Now im not one who cares about if there is money in a card or an actual gift on my birthday, but a couple of my siblings always complained because he never included any gifts. I always was fine with the thought and I didnt expect much from him anyway. He isnt well off so I dont expect him to give me a gift that I love, but one birthday when I was seven he gave me the greatest gift I could have ever imagined.

A package arrived in the mail and it was from my grandfather which was very strange even at seven years old I knew this. I think my dad was surprised as well because we all opened it together. Inside was a little yellow box with a weird name, Pokemon. My grandfather had purchased me my own first real game, Pokemon yellow version. Up until this point I had shared games with my siblings so this was my own. It wasnt a cheap game for him by any means so to get this was amazing, especially as a kid at the perfect age for getting into the games. The gift was perfect and perhaps has been the best birthday gift ive ever been given to this day.

My love affair with Pokemon started as I got into the games the trading cards and more with all my friends. I played the death out of Pokemon yellow, even getting all my main characters to max level. Even after I had beaten the game, my interest was restored after my friend let me borrow his gameshark and I spent endless hours modifying the game in fun and interesting ways. To this day I still play every game and occasionally when I am feeling nostalgic, I will buy a pack of cards to get that amazing feeling back and smell the fresh ink. Over the years ive had figures and many other merchandise related to the series and I can bring that interest back to my grandfather.

Even if he forgets my birthday these days (understandable hes 94), I still will never forget the one gift he gave me as a child that I still treasure to this day. I have long lost the original cartridge that he gave me, which makes me a bit sad, but I still have the vivid memories of having it. Birthdays seem like non events the older you get in my experience, but as a kid to get something like that blew me away. Long after my grandfather has passed, I will remember what he did for me as a child and this is why I cant wait until I can do something similar for eventual my nieces and nephews.

-Calaber24p