Mix Tape and Skee-Ball

Here is a story about Mix after he graduated high school and opened his own business 

Mix sold another stereo to a guy that just bought an apartment and needed a stereo. The guy paid a hundred dollars. Mix had twenty dollar bills in his pocket. Even though he was nineteen and should’ve put that money back into his business, he needed to play. His new business took up all his time everyday.  A trip to Seaside would be the best way to spend a summer day off from work. He arranged his sales and orders on weekends so he took the trip on a Tuesday, which meant his friends couldn’t go. Boy had college classes. Mike had to work at the garage during the week. 

Mix drove down the Garden State Parkway to Route 37 before 8am. The best thing was that he didn’t hit traffic. New Jersey always had traffic so this surprised him. It looked like everyone went north while he went south. 

Businesses along Route 37 were opening up. Store owners put out beach supplies or bikes. 

He couldn’t park close to the Boardwalk, but he found a parking lot a block away. As soon as he got out of the car, he could smell the soggy boardwalk wood. A girl in shorts walked  in the street, not the sidewalk, the street. 

He got to the Boardwalk where food stands and game arcades lined the way. He and found an arcade that had two teens playing games near the door. It seemed welcoming. Video games that Mix stopped playing years ago filled the rows. The side of the arcade was Skee-Ball. The game was played by rolling wood balls up a path till it hits a bumper where the ball flies up and lands in a circle where the player scores points. A simple yet addictive game. 

Mix played one game and didn’t get a high score. It could’ve been better so he played again. The 50 point circle looked so easy, but the ball rolled over the circle. He got the ball almost in but it bounced off and landed in a ten point spot. 

He could do better. 

Each time he played, a small strip of coupons printed out of the machine. Each coupon was worth a point toward gifts at a redeem counter. He played for three hours and had enough redeem coupons for a twelve pack of baseball cards and a giant pencil. 

The gifts were so-so, but the time playing was a lot of fun.