Stuck for something to do before he meets Julia in the pub, he slipŝ into the second-hand shop next door. He strolls along the crowded aisles looking at the shelves packed with crockery, tableware and glasses. He comes across a section at the end of the aisle. It is crammed full of cables and electrical equipment: out-of-date telephones, cords wrapped around them, and the odd part of a computer. There, sitting in a box on the floor, he finds a joystick. It is similar to one he bought when he was a child. He remembered saving up for it, taking his money from his piggy bank and going down to the only shop in town that sold computer gear. He counted out the coins on the counter, to the annoyance of the customer behind him and the amusement of the young server. He remembers the excitement he felt walking back home with the joystick, looking forward to battling space invaders and other villains, saving the world, the universe, and humanity from all evil.
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