An Odd Question (+bonus story!)

So over Thanksgiving break I was driving around with my brother and my nephew (6 yrs) and my nephew started asking me stuff. Here's how it went:

Nephew: Uncle Tah did you take the train to get here?

Me: Yep!

Nephew: But don't you have a car?

Me: No. Uncle Tah doesn't have a car...

Nephew: Why don't you have a car?

Me: Well, cars cost alot of money and Uncle Tah doesn't really need a car where he lives.

Nephew: Are you broke? Is that why you don't have a car?

Me: Umm... well.. I'm not... umm.. broke... but...it's like... umm...

Nephew: I thought you were rich. Aren't you rich?

Me: Why would you think I'm rich?

Nephew: Because you're famous!

(After my nephew saw me on TV a while ago I was instantly permanently famous from that point on)

Me: Well I'm not really famous but...

Nephew: I thought all people that are famous are rich... and you're famous!

Me: Well I guess that's not true because even if I am famous... I'm definitely not rich... I haven't been able to figure that part out yet.

He paused for a bit, then said,

Nephew: Is that why they call you Odd?

ok bye!

tOdd

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BONUS NEPHEW STORY!

ok hello!

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GameBoy Boy O Boy

So my nephews are completely obsessed with Gameboy. One nephew is 6 and the other is 3. Gameboy had officially defeated every other toy. It wasn't even a competition. First round knockout basically. Gameboy is King. It's the main bargaining chip my brother and his wife have to make them do stuff or not do stuff. They're really good on keeping them on a tight Gameboy schedule too. 

The older one likes to play Pokemon which I don't understand at all. It's too advanced for me. He tried to explain it and I couldn't follow it. The younger one likes Donkey Kong Country alot. This kid is 3 years old but he is 100% focused when he's on Gameboy. My brother and his wife have never been video gamers and I asked them if the younger one understands what he's doing. They told me they assumed he was just pushing buttons and seeing some reaction or colors or whatever and having a good time.

I checked out his Donkey Kong Country game and played it for like 10 minutes. The game kicked my ass. I couldn't make it past the first level. It involves timing, strategy, speed, patience, coordination, and all that stuff. I was curious to know how much the nephew was actually understanding the game so during Thanksgiving dessert he was under the dining room table playing Gameboy and I got under the table to watch what he was doing. I sat under there with him and looked over his shoulder.

I was friggin amazed. Here's a kid that a few months ago couldn't figure out how not to pee in his pants and here he was was playing this game like a pro. He ran through the first level lickity split. Zip, zap, jump, roll, grab, throw, spin, done. He rolled through it without losing one life. I sat there and watched him with my jaw hanging open totally. He was even talking to me while playing. I looked around under the table and couldn't believe what I was seeing. He was a pro.

The thing that was slightly disturbing was it seemed like it wasn't even like he was doing it from practicing alot. The action seemed so natural. The gameplay so smooth. Almost like instinct. There was an innateness in it.

And frankly I didn't know what to think about all that... but as a gamer since days of pong... I definitely felt some pride.

ok bye!

tOdd