*Sticks Thumbs Out*

The highway's shoulder is my yellow brick road, but I'm sure Dorothy didn't have to step over road kill & trash.  Thumb still outstretched, doing my best impression of Bill Bixby during the ending credits of "The Incredible Hulk."  My body is tired, my pockets are empty.  Frustration builds as car after car after truck continue to pass me by.  "What's a nerd have to do to get a ride?"  I grumble under my breath.  Yet I push on, defeat is not an option...I say a silent prayer, beckoning for a tactical insertion....

My sign reads "E3 or bust."  Some people want to reach the top of Mount Everest, others want to step foot on the Earth's moon.  I however need to make it to the Los Angeles Expo Center by June.  In between wiping the trails of sweat from my forehead, I travel down the less congested, critter corpse free memory lane.  Before there was E3, there was the Summer CES in Chicago.  As a kid, I dreamed of  running the halls of McCormick Place bathed in the glow of monitors showing off the latest and greatest the video game industry had to offer.  A dream that was so close, yet so far.  I settled for thumbing through GamePro & Electronic Gaming Monthly.  Digesting previews & memorizing release dates to discuss with my homies at the back of the school bus.

"Just wait till I get older, you'll see me there."

My motivation now is a bit different.  Sure, I'll be forsaking the California sun, but I plan on gaining something more than a tan.  I'm looking for an experience, I'm looking to learn from some of the greats of the industry.  I want to see the future...today, and tell the world how the future looks to me.  My love & passion under one roof.  That is why I walk, that is why I risk being murdered by the next weirdo who offers me a ride (Note: The "Large Marge sent me" joke is only funny the 1st 20 times I heard it.)

I've walked, and walked and walked some more.  At this point, my thumb might as well be a middle finger.  My kicks are caked with grime & sweat has formed an oasis in the underarms of my "Hospitality" t-shirt.  The long strides I started with on this journey has become a failed session of QWOP.  My mind speaks "don't stop" my mouth can only utter "Wizard needs food badly"  in raspy tone.  A chorus of crows caw from above.  I wasn't sure if it was delirium setting in, but I swear I could hear them divvying up who's going to get to peck at what once I die.  I've failed, my quest will end here.  Not a 1-up in sight, heartbeat in my ears darkness closing in.  My body hits the pavement, consciousness has de-friended me.  My body left there, like so many unwanted Tony Hawk Ride skateboards....

Movement.  Voices.  Justin Bieber.  If I am dead, I am in hell.

"Hey, welcome to the land of the living, thought we'd have to drop you off at the morgue and drive off honking the horn."

Good to see someone cares, I think to myself, and that notion was slow to get through the cobwebs.  I'm prone in the backseat, head still pounding but it's a great improvement over dying of thirst & starvation.

"How long was I out for?"  Holding my head and finally getting upright.  Feels like I've been playing Virtual Boy for 12 hours straight.

"You were out for a good 12 hours.  Good thing Daniel here saw you while we pulled over so he could take a leak.  Found you roadside with a hobo trying to steal your shoes.  I'm Josh by the way."

I tell him my name, and I begin to tell Daniel & Josh my story.  It's then I notice that Josh is wearing a KMart gamer t-shirt.  I still found myself looking for the sharp object I could potentially be murdered with.  I'll ask them about CheapAssGamer.com & thank them for the $20 PSN card deal for Homefront.  Tell them I think out of all the big box stores they give the best incentives on making purchases through them.   Lurking on CAG has saved me quite a bit of dough, but not enough to buy a plane ticket.  If they don't know what I'm talking about, I'll open the door & go limp.

"Are you SHC-DanielBH & Spartan117?" I inquire while gripping tightly to the handle of the back door.

"In the flesh.  We decided to road trip to Los Angeles for E3."

My sigh of relief could have blown Donald Trump's toupee off.  My grip loosened as I continued my story.  Then we discussed why we were excited for E3 and what we were looking forward to seeing.  I mentioned Tekken x Street Fighter, Gears of War 3, Uncharted 3 and Battlefield 3 as the games I'd hope to get my mitts on.  Potentially news on the next Grand Theft Auto, NGP  & Modern Warfare 3.  I want to discover new titles that may get overlooked because of the big dogs.  All in all I'm looking to enjoy my time, write a lot and learn a lot.

It seemed as only minutes passed, but we talked for hours.  I glance up from a quick doze, I'm a kid on Christmas...

"California, here I come...."