Just an Old Computer

Once you pressed that button, I felt the light. I found the energy to start powering up and I was ready to meet you. 

It was Christmas morning of 1996, and the last thing I remember is being placed in a box and left there for a long time. But once I was moving around a bunch, it was time to wake up. I heard paper tearing and the pop of a box being pulled open. There I see Sarah, and her brother Colby. Their eyes lit up as they scramble all of my pieces and parts up to bring to the desk they frantically cleared off. They plugged me in, whilst mom and dad made sure everything was hooked up correctly, and then the true magic began. 

As they grew older, their interests changed. As children, they used me for gaming and playing with their friends. By the time they were teenagers, it was emails and typing homework. They also had to show their parents how to use the computer because times were changing, and they weren’t as familiar with products like myself. I remember dad getting frustrated and mom pondering and wondering the different browsers I have. Both mom and dad would have the best time watching their 2 children playing games together even though they may not understand the kids nowadays.   

“We need a better computer,” they would express to their parents. Their parents' response is they have me, a perfectly capable machine, just the older version. They would go back and forth where they showed their parents the newest product, in which was slimmer, and faster I suppose. The parents expressed that money is tight and maybe down the line. And then Christmas of 2002 occurred. 

As I sit on the desk, I watch as mom and dad both strategically wrap both their son and daughter’s new computers for college. The outside of them had crisp colors. I could also see how they would be more helpful on a desk. You can’t really write notes on the same desk I am on. I felt the inevitable coming and I didn’t like this feeling. 

Christmas morning arrived and both Sarah and Colby jumped for joy as the big reveal occurred. As they are showing each other the different details on their computers, I knew I wasn’t impressive enough for them anymore. Throughout the next couple of months, the dust got heavier, as well as the loneliness. I can see them living their best lives without me anymore. Ever so often, their mom or dad would use me to look up a question or to email a friend, but they didn’t have that light in their eyes when their kids were showing them, even when their lesson didn’t make sense to them. I was becoming more of a chore along the lines of dusting soon enough rather than being useful. Until the day came where Colby was moving back and needed a place for his newer computer. 

Everyone was pretty quick on storing me in the garage. Both dad and Colby wanted to just donate me with the rest of the pile leaving, but when they called Sarah, she was on moms' side to store me away in the garage for future use. They came to the agreement of storing me in the garage for future use. Those uses though never happened rather than me being in a box in the garage for what felt like years. 

That is when one day, Sarah opened the box, she was surprised to see me as I was to see her. She is older now and the time has passed greatly. She called Colby over but it wasn’t just Colby that followed, but a little boy as well. I was shocked to learn that Colby had a son. They both looked like their parents, I couldn’t believe the time that has passed. When Colby arrived, he was shocked to see me just as Sarah was. They both reminisced and began telling the little boy that “this was a computer from our day.” The boy, later revealed to be Billy, would stare asking why I was so big when other ones are skinnier. They would laugh and explain and enjoy my company one last time, before being put in a donation box. 

The individual who unpacked me was surprised at my arrival, they even called out for the fellow worker to see me too. They both reminisce on my existence when I have never seen them before. As they discuss they clean the dust and listen to them talk about the memories behind me, memories just like the ones I once gave to Sarah and Colby. 

I was put on the shelf with a bunch of other things like me. There was a big sign that said electronics that I was placed under the top shelf, the one that was longer in height to compensate for bigger computers and electronics like myself.  I thought I was the only one. In fact, across the way there was one older than I and a bit chipped on the corner and colored with crayons on the side. The stories they must have. They had their own Sarah and Colby’s that were once so excited to be blessed with such an item, all have ended up in the same place, given up for the sake of the newest more convenient item. 

I spent many weeks in that place, hearing conversations amongst many while items slowly grew around me and started to cover me up. Things like CD players, Video Cassette players, even a Walkman ended up here but quickly left with a collector of some description. None of them meant to get in the way of me having a new home, I just wasn’t necessarily going anywhere.  Until one day, where you arrived. 

There was a group of people, younger, probably teenagers I would say that came in the electronic section and began rummaging through all of the stuff. They were talking about how old this stuff looked and even one of them was questioning what “that” was. It was an Audio Cassette to Aux Adapter and that's when I heard a girl's voice explain to the boy that was asking. They found it pretty cool and continued to get into my shelf specifically and started going through the electronics next to me. They were moving items on the shelves and really looking at each individual item as they were, treasures. Then out of the corner of her eye, that same girl saw me. She started to get excited as if she found some hidden gem, but it was just me. She dragged me out into the light with my keyboard and mouse closely attached and began to explain to her friends, “Do you guys think I should get it?” 

Their friends started making their honest judgments and advice about whether or not there will be room for me and if she will get bored after a little bit. They couldn’t argue the price though considering I have been discounted about 2 times now. But ultimately, this was her call, she stood up straight, held me in her arms and stated, “I have to have this.” I was too big for a bag but I was on my way to a new place, not knowing what was going to happen. All of us then began the journey wherever we were going too. 

As the time grew longer, I was given to other friends to hold because I was getting too heavy for the girl. While walking, I learned that her name was Isabella and that her dad used to have a computer like this when she was younger. Plus, she didn’t have the money to get a brand new one and wasn’t really interested in general. She enjoyed old items and “trinkets” as she called them, and myself, despite my size. As the day continued, the friends would ultimately split up to go home, everyone said goodbye and then it was just Isabella and myself. Next thing I knew she was rushing home and got to the front of her house. 

She reached the stairs and bolted up with a goal in mind. I am not sure what that was but as soon as she got in, she immediately went into the kitchen, placed me down, started unraveling the cords and plugged me in. She paused once she heard someone in the driveway and her eyes lit up in glee. She ran outside and was gone for a moment until she and who I am guessing is her father walked in. She showed me off to him and it’s like there was a light in his eyes. His smile grew from curiosity to excitement as he saw me. Both come over and he starts reminiscing on the old times he had with his late sister with this machine. They used to play games together and be up all night when they weren’t supposed to, playing all kinds of games. Isabella listened intently, not realizing beforehand how much I could possibly mean to him. They both had a heartfelt moment where they hugged, and he began to tear up at the thought of making those same memories with his daughter. The time had come to make sure I worked, and everything was still in shape. They both finished clearing off the table, blew off and wiped the dust off and plugged me in. Once they saw the little light indicating I was plugged in, they were ready to see what I had to offer them, and I wasn’t about to disappoint. Once you pressed that button, I felt the light again. I found the energy to start powering up and I was ready to meet you.