Escape, a contest, a girl, and a dog

So I had a crap job in Washington DC in 2004, getting in before sunup, leaving after dark. It paid almost nothing. I couldn’t afford beer, which is sad for a 22 year old. I saved for a graphics card so I could play WoW and spent a lot of time of the beta forums pre-launch.

Like most people, I had no idea what was going on at launch, but enjoyed the game, the people I met, and was a good player. I met a few people with whom I am still in touch with. Early guildies who have moved around, but we stayed connected through Facebook (which wasn’t out yet at launch), Steam, or WoW itself. Our guild leader was a canadian with a hot sister that some of his friends would post pictures of for us geeky lonely nerds to drool over. It was fun. Like a nerd frat.

For someone who was never in a frat and didn’t have money or time to socialize in my new city, WoW was a great release. I was able to excell (even as a shaman in early game), be part of a group, laugh…and love.

I met her on myspace, as I was going up to Philly to see some friends and she was connected to them somehow. I saw she played WoW on her profile. A REAL GIRL THAT PLAYED WOW.

She was everything I was not. Outgoing, tattooed, little, pierced lip, etc. I could actually be pretty outgoing with a few beers around friends, but she was like that with everybody. Unashamed in life. Inspiring.

I did something right. I went to Philly “to see a show” and spent the weekend. She came down to DC a few times. She really missed her dog back home. So as a gesture of my commitment as a broke 22 year old, I rescued a dog. I also had to get a car because you couldn’t take dogs on the bus to Philly. But during the week we would play WoW together. I started a new character, abandoned my guild.

One day, there was a fan contest on our server. A naked run. Thunder bluff to Orgrimmar with a level 1 toon. I won. I couldn’t believe it. It was so intense. People were dying to mobs all over the place. I gave all of my price money (200g, a lot back then) to my girl. We were happy.

Long story short, it went sour. Our lives were hard enough without new love. She moved back home. She took the dog.

I got off WoW for a bit. Couldn’t stand it. Then I decided to get back on with my old toon, my old guild. We progressed through content, became very tight knit. We were server firsts or seconds, back when you had a HUGE rivalry with 1-2 alliance guilds (we were Horde) who would kill you on sight, and vice versa. I loved min/maxing out stats and weapons. I loved playing the auction house like a real stock market.

Life got better. I have been on and off of WoW. Always enjoying going back. There are some people that have been on every day for ten years. Some come back just for expansions. She has not.

She emailed me awhile ago, asking if I still had the comfortable bed. I said I did not, as I moved and got a new one. That was the last time I heard from her.

I wouldn’t trade it all for anything. She was great. WoW has been great. I thank Blizzard, for all of the times I’ve cursed them, for my fond memories.