how pokemon changed my life.

Pokemon is my life.
I'm a dork. I know.

When I was in first grade, those Pokemon card games were what we all played because we lived in a very rural area and we had nothing else to do. (I would pass about four farms on my way to school.)
I remember watching all the cool fifth graders play it on the playground at recess.

There was always a huge crowd around them, filled with jealous kids who's parents wouldn't buy them the Pokemon card packs at Walmart.
I watched the fifth graders every single day.
Eventually, there was always a space reserved for me.
It was like a VIP seat and it was great.

Of course, I owned a few cards of my own.
But they were the ones nobody wanted. It became routine for kids I've never seen before come up to me and give me all the ones they didn't want.
They were normally weak Pokemon like Magikarp and Caterpie.
But sometimes, I would get some a Charizard or Articuno from those who felt bad for me.

One day where I challenged this fifth grader to a battle. It was really scary, because James (That was his name) was twice my height and had really big muscles.

The whole school heard about my epic challenge, and gathered around the playground to watch.
AND I BEAT HIM.
It was the happiest moment in my life.
And more than eight years later, I still remember that.

A few weeks ago, I found James on Facebook.
He rejected my friend request.
I guess he still remembers that day too.