What was your first ever videogame?

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Pac-Man and the Donut Hole

What was my first-ever video game?

The one I remember is Pac-Man!

And thinking about it takes me straight back to the Donut Hole, a local donut shop that had video games back in the day.

Imagine that—donuts and Pac-Man. What more did we need?

There was something about trying to get that little yellow character through the maze, eating dots while keeping away from those ghosts. Everything would be going fine until suddenly I was headed in the wrong direction with trouble right behind me.

Sometimes I think a familiar game can bring back more than the memory of playing it. It brings back a place and a version of yourself you haven’t thought about in a while.

For me, Pac-Man brings back the Donut Hole.

A local spot. A little entertainment. An ordinary part of life that became a memory worth keeping.

I couldn’t tell you my highest score. Apparently, that information didn’t make it into long-term storage.

But I remember playing. I remember where I went. And all these years later, that little yellow character still brings a smile to my face.

Thinking out loud…

We don’t always know which everyday experiences will stay with us.

Sometimes it’s a family trip or a big celebration.

And sometimes it’s a video game in a local donut shop.

What was your first video game—and where did you play it?