jeudi 26 avril 2007

Treasure map




Where does lie this nostalgic fun that sometimes make our lips laugh and our eyes cry? Is it in the ice cream flavor of our childhood (Proust?), or that old Hockey Jersey we used to skate with?


Well, with certitude, a part of it lies in the sand of Almagordo, New Mexico. I know, you are thinking about the first nuclear weapon tests (July 16, 1945, "the day the sun rose two times"), which where made in the desert coasting the city, about the beautiful sight of the nuclear mushroom, darkening the sky. Oh, nostalgia : how many days with this menace upon our heads, this sword of Damocles, this presence that became a friend?


But there is better. Beneath this 35000 souls city, are buried millions of Ataris video games. The said games (among them was the infamous E.T.) came from Ataris's El Paso depot, and got buried on september 1983, in the city dump.


For months to come, people tought video games were just a trend. And then came Nintendo.


But still, a recurring dream, I have : road tripping to Almagordo, finding the dump, and digging up those dead pleasures, digging up chilhood.

2 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit...

Millions of rotting video games? Millions? Augustin, I'm just getting my shovel out of the garage and will take the next flight to El Paso - we'll meet there at 1400 at Wernherr von Braun's little café, o.k.?

Cascadia Girl a dit...

Hmmm... I must be older than you.

My dream would be finding a trove of etch-a-sketches, slinkies, balsa wood wind up planes, Silly Putty, Mystery Date and Life board games, hoola-hoops, whee-los, Ouija boards, barrel of monkeys, and Twister. (Well, maybe not the hoola-hoops anymore...)

Ah! Those were the days!