Growing Up in the 1980s With the Commodore 64 - A Reflection

This story begins on Tuesday 25th May, 1976, a blistering sunny day, in a spring season that felt like a heat wave during a tropical summer. Here I was, according to my very pregnant mom, playing a game of European Cup soccer in the comfort of her womb. "He" or "She" will be a sporty child, probably a soccer player.

Two more weeks to go... Not a day too soon in these soaring temperatures. Not the ideal circumstances to carry around a highly active unborn infant.

Little did she know that her, already then, highly inquisitive son decided that the present day was going to be the day to discover greener pastures. No doctor or soaring temperatures would stop my burning desire to start exploring my new surroundings. Inquisitiveness, a trait I still have, wanting to learn and see the other side of things.

Authority has little influence on me, always wanting to go to the bottom of things, proving to myself that it is indeed right. This attitude has brought me over time in interesting places and confronted me with odd and fascinating realities. It is unfortunately not the easy way of life but then nobody ever said that life is a walk in the park!

So... In 1983 life became instantly very interesting...

The Commodore 64 arrived...

Just imagine your teenage bedroom full of friends and this shiny Commodore, like a king, standing proud in the middle.

Around this machine, battles were fought, friendships were strengthened, plenty of emotions were shared and exciting times always laid ahead.

This home computer was an as important part of my life as were my family and friends. When I first saw one, I knew this was it! Not knowing then though that the world of swapping discs and games was going to become such big business in my environment.

Your status was measured by how many discs and the amount of popular games you possessed. The kid with the new and highly desired games was ruler of our world.

Many bubble-gum, A-team gaming cards and even BMX bikes traded hands for these new, not so new and even cracked games. Nothing mattered more than being Knight Rider, the A-team and even ET for a moment.

Holidays were all about gaming, endless hours of battling it out around the Commodore 64.

To my friends and myself, a gaming holiday was worth as much as a Caribbean get-a-away to our parents!

Share my passion for the 1980s and memories on the Commodore 64 days? You might want to see my website   https://www.megafounder.com/8bit-kids-growing-up-with-the-commodore-64 and order my '8-BIT KIDS - Growing Up With the Commodore 64'-book.


 By Koen De Brabander


Article Source: Growing Up in the 1980s With the Commodore 64 - A Reflection