(Billy’s birthday party.)

Grammy is there. (Which, is a surprise because she went into cat seclusion since Pa-pop died.)

 

(Everyone is dirt poor.)

 

Billy is an especially effervescent kid of a newly turned age 9. And everyone from Pa to Grammy, hell, even cobwebbed Aunt Ester chipped in to buy Billy’s only birthday present.

 

With eagerness, Billy unwraps his present. (Very old and slightly greased comics were used for the wrapping.)

 

To Billy’s excited assumption it is the new bored game, “ 3^rd Generation Colour Wheel of Fortuitous Bargains”, complete with two full stacks of cards! (With a smirk Billy whispers, “I must collect them all.”)

 

(Again, since Billy is such an eager and effervescent child opens the game with the same likeness.)

 

But the bored game quickly beeps and prints out the words, “in order to play this bored game an internet connection is required.”

 

Pa carries over an ancient looking dial up cord and proceeds to plug the bored game in.

 

Green lights flash and the game remarks, “internet speed is sub-par it is recommended to set the graphics to very, very coarse.

 

(There is a brief look of confusion from all party members.)

 

Billy, with a look of slight frustration, clicks the box open.

 

In exclamation! The box squeaks, “your subscription has expired!”

 

(There is a slight glimmer of hopelessness in the tear of Billy’s right eye.)

 

Grammy pulls out a red stamped 50 dollar bill – obviously printed in the 50s – and thus puts it in the 50 dollar bill receptacle.

 

The bored game box expands into a larger device much like when you turn a page in a pop-up book.

 

Renewed hope has animated Billy’s expression: “Things are much brighter now, Grammy!”

 

Grammy replies, “your Pa-pop always loved to see you smile.”

 

Billy quickly runs to the bored game to delegate the different responsibilities of the game to everyone in his birthday party that is willing.

 

“Ma! You’re the Jewish banker.

 

Pa! You’re the athletic Black football player.

 

Grammy! You can be Miss Daisy!

 

And I can be the poor white trash that may make something of myself someday!”

 

To Billy’s dismay, there is a blinking cursor preceded by the words:” Update in progress 12 hours ‘til download is complete.”

 

Billy turns to Grammy with a smile says,” let’s go play outside. It’s what Pa-pop loved to do!”