Trainrides & Market Research On The Go
On my train ride home today I sat and played Mario Kart 7 on my 3DS. Don't judge me. It's market research. Working after hours. The behavior of a classic corporate over achiever. Or that's what I tell myself so I don't feel like such an over-sized version of my seven-year-old self.
My kart was squealing around a corner when a three foot little girl with more bubbles than a soda can sat next to me and screeched, "Mario!!!!!". Her tiny braids bounced off of her smiling black cheeks as she leaned over my shoulder and watched me cross the finish line...in 7th place I might add. But that's neither here nor there.
This led to a lovely conversation with this spry little human surrounding the likes of Mario, Luigi, and Coins. I told her where I worked and her eyes got big with excitement. I asked her if she wanted to play, but her mother said she needed to do her homework instead. Her mother added that her little girl had been asking for a 3DS for her birthday and said that she'd have to get good grades in her classes to earn that reward. I played one more round and felt her peaking over my shoulder again, defying her mother's gentle command to pull out her book.
I pressed the power button and shut the screen. I put it in my bag and replaced the vacancy in my hands with a book. I began reading, hoping the little girl would do the same. I didn't want to be a bad example to this budding little human. After all, no video game could ever compare with the books that have shaped my life. She reached past her lunchbox in her backpack and pulled out a blueish black book. I could see her looking at me, anxiously waiting for me to comment. "OOOhhh, that looks like a good book!" I said. "It is!" she said, "But it's kind of scary." I smiled and winked at her and we both stuck our noses into new stories.
When I stood up to get off the train she and her mother smiled and said goodbye. "Good luck on your tests!" I said. "You'll do great!"
That little twerp made my whole day.
My kart was squealing around a corner when a three foot little girl with more bubbles than a soda can sat next to me and screeched, "Mario!!!!!". Her tiny braids bounced off of her smiling black cheeks as she leaned over my shoulder and watched me cross the finish line...in 7th place I might add. But that's neither here nor there.
This led to a lovely conversation with this spry little human surrounding the likes of Mario, Luigi, and Coins. I told her where I worked and her eyes got big with excitement. I asked her if she wanted to play, but her mother said she needed to do her homework instead. Her mother added that her little girl had been asking for a 3DS for her birthday and said that she'd have to get good grades in her classes to earn that reward. I played one more round and felt her peaking over my shoulder again, defying her mother's gentle command to pull out her book.
I pressed the power button and shut the screen. I put it in my bag and replaced the vacancy in my hands with a book. I began reading, hoping the little girl would do the same. I didn't want to be a bad example to this budding little human. After all, no video game could ever compare with the books that have shaped my life. She reached past her lunchbox in her backpack and pulled out a blueish black book. I could see her looking at me, anxiously waiting for me to comment. "OOOhhh, that looks like a good book!" I said. "It is!" she said, "But it's kind of scary." I smiled and winked at her and we both stuck our noses into new stories.
When I stood up to get off the train she and her mother smiled and said goodbye. "Good luck on your tests!" I said. "You'll do great!"
That little twerp made my whole day.
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