Sometimes you just need to take your kid to Pinball Pete’s and show her what a real arcade is.  Because weekends hanging out with your kids get fewer and fewer, and you need to enjoy them while you can. 

“This is what my teenage and college years were like. Pizza, and these games you had to put quarters in. A lot of quarters. And Mountain Dew. A lot of Mountain Dew.”

Her reactions were great.   

“What the?!?  WHY CAN’T I CLIMB THE LADDER WITH A HAMMER?!”

“Pinball hates me.” 

When we won the “match” at the end of the pinball game: “It gives you a free game?! That’s awesome!”

  
“Oh, I played this on my iPod!” … followed closely by “This is a LOT harder than on my iPod!”  “JUMP! Stupid frog!”

We had a great time, though. I don’t even think Maggie minded when her old man whooped her in air-hockey! Plus, she got permission to swear at Ms. Pac Man… (I mean, to be fair, Ms. Pac Man really was being kind of a bitch.)

Thanks, Pinball Pete’s, for helping me share a little chunk of my childhood with my kid!