Do You Want to Battle or Trade?

Erin left Friday night to visit her friend Aly in Stevens Point, so Arthur and I had a father-son weekend. Those are nice.

Friday I gave him a pack of Pokémon cards and he was so excited. We watched Goonies. I looked up the local game shop online — The Gnoshery — and saw they had open Pokémon play with Professors from 9–11 Saturday morning. I asked if he wanted to go and he was jumping up and down.

Saturday we went. He carried his binder in under his arm, walked right up to some kids and said, “Do you want to battle or trade?” He traded with some older kids. I could tell they wanted to play with more experienced players, but I didn’t want to hamper his initiative — so I played a middle ground, let it go a while, then gently steered him toward opening a couple of new packs and sorting them.

I ordered hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon; he ate the bacon and fruit. I had a mocha.

He got a chance to slot in with a Professor and she taught him how to play. I listened in. He kind of thinks he already knows how, but he’s really new and needed the help. I decided I’m going to learn eventually, so I listened to pick some up — I probably asked more questions than he did. She could tell his collection was a little deficient, so she asked the store staff for a tournament starter pack: two element-themed decks of 30 cards each, a fire and a lightning. While he played and traded with other kids his age (maybe a little older), I bought a couple of colored card holders, one yellow and one red, and put his new starter decks in them so we could tell them apart from his other cards. I read the starter manual while I watched him make new friends.

One of the moms, Ann — a Sturgeon Bay local — started talking to me and gave me some tips on Pokémon, from a parent’s point of view. Arthur was playing with her son, Finn. Finn’s dad was there the whole time, very proud of his 1,000-card binder that he let the other kids look through. Near the end, as the crowd thinned, I met him — Ryan. Arthur played one last game with Finn (Finneas), and then their family had to go. We were the last ones there. We packed up to leave.

My favorite thing was seeing him be social — with kids his age, older kids, adults — and not inhibited about playing. I think he made some new friends.

I think we’ll go back other Saturdays, when it’s too hot in summer or during the winter. We’ll make a backpack with more supplies — especially water, and a sketchbook and pencils so I can draw in the corner while he plays. I might get into Pokémon a little, or maybe MTG. I’m reluctant to do both — I outgrew MTG long ago — but maybe for Arthur.