I am a bit embarrassed. In de-cluttering for Christmas guests, I just realized I have a 20-year old-computer that I’ve been dusting around.
OK, honestly, I’ve probably never dusted it because it is actually hidden in a beautiful oak cabinet, so I wasn’t reminded daily of how lame I am. It’s one of those tower power Mac 6500s that was the first personal computer to reach 300 MHz — what this means is that this 1997 system is as big as a Buick.
The humongous 18-inch display, which is actually two-feet deep and wide, was perfect back in the “good old days” when I used to write and design. Three little giggling girls, who loved to play “educational” computer games, also utilized it heavily. Since I learned a valuable lesson about the guilt a mother can endure if said-mother accidentally gives away an old object without informing the entire family, I notified my daughters through a certified text message that I would be seeking a new home for the old tower of power and her display — here are the resulting text messages:
Aly: “I loved playing ‘Kids Pix’ and ‘Yolanda Yells A Lot!’”
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Chloe: “‘Louie Lumpfield’ and ‘The Thinking Place.’”
Aly: “Louie was a good one! That dancing flea!”
Chloe: “And the mailbox delivery.”
Aly: “And the hot dog making.”
Chloe: “And you can put jellybeans and onion rings on your hot dog.”
Aly: “and chocolate.”
Phoebe [who later joined her sisters messaging after a college final]: “’Clearly ‘Pajama Sam.’”
Aly: “That was a Microsoft game.”
Phoebe: “Then I must’ve played it on Dad’s computer.”
Chloe: “’Pajama Sam’ — we could play it on both.”
Phoebe: “I loved ‘Jumpstart Kindergarten’ and ‘Jumpstart First Grade,’ but everyone knows my favorite by far was ‘Jumpstart Music’ because I could play the belly beat on that hippo.”
Aly: “And the hamster’s plumber’s crack when he bent over!”
Phoebe: “Ah, yes, the hamster in the elevator.”
Chloe: “My name is Rupert and I love cheese.”
Phoebe: “Oh my gosh.”
After later reading their texts, it just warmed my heart knowing that this gigantic piece of hardware brought forth so many memories. So for Christmas I’m going to rent a forklift and moving dolly to transport this heavy equipment under the tree — I’m going to give Aly the Buick-sized 6500 tower, while the drive-in movie screen-size monitor goes to Chloe and her new husband Michael. I will gift Phoebe, the youngest, the keyboard and all the games, so that they all have to get together to play nicely.
