Keys to the game case

“Keys to the game case. Keys to the game case.” The voice over the loud monitor rang out this very instructive statement twice, in case one missed it the first time. However, the tone at the end of the second sentence where the word “case” resided ended on a lower note.

A tall lanky sales rep shuffled over to the video game case pulling out a rainbowed cluster of keys connected to a blue and yellow terra cord with the words, “Go Blue” on them. The keys looked like they had a purpose and the young man looked like he had a purpose with them; each color representing a different section of the store.

“How can I help you sir”, the leggy sales rep asked.

“Nathan, right?”  The prospective customer staring straight at him.

“Yeah, but how did you know my name”. He replied in a stutter. He cocked his head to the side like a knee jerk reaction to wonder and thought to himself, “Oh, this is what George Clooney must feel like when he does this. George Clooney must be wondering all the time.”

The customer pointed at his nametag.

“Oh! Heh! I forgot I was wearing that. How can I help you?”

“God has a plan for you Nathan.”

Nathan nodded in agreement and started opening the case not noticing the serious demeanor of the customer. “Does that plan include me getting you one of these video games?” Nathan stretched out his hand as though he was a model on “The Price is Right” presenting potential prizes to the contestant. The first male price is right model. Bob Barker would not have let that happen but Drew Carey, he might have.

“What is that one about”, the man said pointing at the middle of the case.

 “Ah well”, Nathan chuckled. “I can’t really tell which one your pointing at there”, Nathan’s chuckle was like a taut wet rope descending into a lake over the side of a boat. The man didn’t laugh. Nathan continued, “but the one on the right is about an army Sargent that gets stranded on an alien world and has to, like, ah, shoot his way out. The one on the left is, well, like a steam punk, assassin thriller. It’s a 1^st person shooter game. Are you looking for yourself or, like, a friend or a family member?”

“Which one do you like best Nathan?”

“Well to tell you the truth, I’m not even the video game guy here.” Nathan nodded his head and opened his hands like he was beckoning a baby to come give him a hug. He noticed again that his posture was creating a feeling of wonder growing in him. “I actually work in the music section, that’s my specialty, I majored in music at college. I just graduated actually.”

The man just stood silent never breaking the inquisitive look that arose at the beginning of his question.

“Ahh, well, to answer your question, I like this one.” Nathan pointed at a game with a man holding an axe and dressed in heavy armor with a dragon flying around snow-capped mountains in the background.

“Why do you like that one”, the man asked.

“Well the graphics are awesome and it’s an open world rpg, which is totally cool and the way of the future in video games, I really enjoy the crafting aspect. I’m like, level 100 blacksmithing at only level 20. But, most of all the soundtrack is totally sweet”.

“So you went to college here?”

“Yeah at a local private college.”

“And you are working at an entertainment store with that degree?”

“Well I also run a church praise band, but I don’t get paid for that.”

“Ahh.” The man said and then paused. Nathan nodded waiting for his reply. He was about to speak about another game but the man interrupted him. “God has a plan for you Nathan.”

Still not grasping the man’s serious tone Nathan said, “Yeah, isn’t that great! He’s like, got a plan for us all.”

“Your mother is Patricia right?”

“Yeah, wait, how did you know that”.

“Your dad, is Joseph, but he left your mother when you were younger right?” 

“Hey man, what is this?” Nathan started cautiously surveying his surroundings. He glanced over the next isle and saw the two young boys that come in every day after school to play the in-store consoles. Nothing suspicious there. He leaned back to the man.

“You have no other siblings and you go to resurrection life community church correct?”

“Woe dude, hold up, I’m not in trouble right?”

“No Nathan. Like I said, God has a plan for you.”

“Dude, you’re kind of freaking me out right now. What are you? Like a secret agent?”

“Sure, yes I am like a secret agent of God so to speak. Most people call us angels.”

“Look man, unless you want to buy something I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

“I didn’t come here to buy something. I came here to talk to you.”

“Look, I’ve got to go back cataloging the cd’s in the music section. If you’d like to follow me, you know, I’m not allowed to, like, stop you.” While Nathan locked the game case his sense of wonder now left him and a sense of urgency followed by a sense of paranoia now came over him.

The man followed Nathan to the middle of the store where they kept the music. “It’s quiet here”.

“Yeah, the only people that buy hard copies anymore are old people looking for classical music on cd’s and hipsters buying records. Oh, and the little girls buying the most recent heartthrob but even that is moving more on-line these days.”

“It’s perfect.” The man stared at Nathan as he began labeling the cd’s with discount stickers.

Nathan started labeling a stack of Oasis cd’s. “So what do you mean, you’re an angle? You do realize that sounds pretty crazy?”

“No, I don’t realize that, and if I did I probably wouldn’t be an angel. Do you realize that it’s crazy that you are a human?”

“No because, I’m a human.”

“Exactly.”

“Ok dude, whatever. What is this plan for me?”

“I can’t get in to much detail right now but you will be transported back in time to work amongst the Israelite in Jerusalem.”

“Alright, now I know you’re crazy.  I think you should leave.”

“That’s probably a good idea. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Ok, hurry back now!” Nathan said with several tons of sarcasm in his tone.

“Oh don’t worry”, The man said in a completely earnest tone, “it won’t be till summer when you go on your church camping trip up north.”

“Is that’s when I’m going to be transported back in time?” Nathan said with bent knees while miming “whhhooooo” like a ghost with his hands.

“Probably, we’ll have to see how it goes.”

The man left the store.