Mark Piehl
2-17-11
Significant object essay for a grade
Pokemon Cards As a child growing up I was completely infatuated with collecting Pokémon cards. The cardboard scent and the ripping sound of the reflective plastic package really got me excited like a little kid on Christmas day. I was always on the look out for the special holographic cards, which meant this particular card was rare. I had piles and piles of these cards that really aren’t worth anything now a days stuffed in a vans cardboard box under my bed hidden by a fluffy pillow because I thought one of my friends would try to sabotage my collection. Everyday of the week I would try to hustle my mom for four dollars so I could feed my unstoppable habit of buying more Pokémon cards. My old heavyset neighbor who wore small round rim glasses would trade cards with me back and fourth, unfortunately he usually never wanted to trade with me because he always had better cards. This bothered me to the core; he only did not have two of the rarest cards out in the market at the time, Charzard holographic and the Mew. The Charzard card resembles an orange fiery dinosaur that destroys anything that crosses its path within a few seconds. The Mew looks like a small pink alien with big bright yellow eyes that can magically cast spells on the enemy. Every card has a blue wave on the back of it with a red and white pokey ball that resembles the home of where the Pokémon evolve. The mere sight of this gave me a chill down my skinny spine every time I opened a new pack because I always was so nervous to see what I could obtain. My whole Pokémon collecting career exploded one hot bright dark night on the noisy creaking old New Jersey boardwalk. It seemed like everyone in the world was out that beautiful night walking on the board walk, I felt like a sardine trying to maneuver my way to one of the side shops to purchase some Pokémon cards. The shop was a little sketchy considering it looked like a hole in the wall. As usual I picked up the last pack of the pile and preceded up to the counter, my little sister wit her bleach blonde hair and ice blue eyes decided to purchase one also. I immediately ran outside while tearing open my brand new pack of cards like a little kid tore the wrapping paper off of a present. My sister casually opened her park like it wasn’t such a big deal. I watched her go through her new pack of cards like a haw looking for that one exclusive card. The last card stuck out like a huge red spot on a plain white t-shirt; it was one of the rarest cards in the world a Charzard holographic card. This one would elevate my card collection past my bigheaded neighbors. I began to throw a temper tantrum in front of hundreds of on lookers. I was in a jealous rage of my younger sister who hardly even understood the meaning of Pokémon cards. I stomped my feet and kicked random oncoming objects as we walked back to our white ford van with sliding doors, while big tear drops poured down my face. I pleaded and pleaded with my sister to give me that card as if my whole life depended on it. Finally she gave in and decided to trade me for my blastoise card that looked like a baby blue goblin with enormous shinny silver cannons on its back. I had the biggest smile on my tan face and began to run around the gray looking room with high ceilings laughing in joy. The card ride home was awful considering the air conditioning broke, sweat poured down my back making my shirt stick to my back like a suction cup. The second we arrived on my black spider cracked driveway I jumped out of my car and ran over to flaunt my Pokémon card to my neighbor. For once he felt my pain of jealousy. Later on in that week I was spending my summer day with my grandparents at their cozy home in Allentown when they decided to take us for a walk in a local park. We casually strolled through the park with the strong wind whipping us in the back. It was a humid summer day and the bright green leaves and the long branches of the willow trees swayed peacefully in the breeze. My sister and I decided to try each exercise station that was built through out the whole park, when I slipped on one the balance beam and fell into the brown mushy mud. It instantly covered my whole body like someone just took a paint bucket and threw it on me. When we got home I put my muddy clothes in the wash regrettably forgetting that my Charzard card was in my pocket along with other important cards. It was to late when I realized that I made this unforgiving mistake.