::A Geek in Korea::

While I was waiting for a student to arrive to class, I pulled out my Nintendo DS. For whatever reason, the student I was waiting for was late, but his sister and mother were waiting around. While I was playing Mario Kart DS the girl came over and said, “Oh, a Nintendo!”

I knew who the girl was, so I asked her if she wanted to play. She gave me a look like, “Are you crazy?” I shrugged it off, and showed her how to control the game. Luckily there are only three buttons or so you really need to use to play. I started her off on the 50cc courses that anyone with a pulse could beat. She chose Princess Peach, a pink car, and started racing. Two minutes into the game, she was squealing in delight about how much fun she was having. By the end of the first race she told me she wanted to get one for Christmas. By the end of her second race she was begging her mother for a Nintendo DS. Loudly.

I apologized to her mother, “Look what I did. I’m so sorry. I hope you aren’t going to be annoyed by that.”

The mother just laughed.

Her son arrived and I left his sister to play the game while I taught. The girl probably needed more time for the “hard sell” to convince her mother anyway. I don’t know if she was successful. Half way through class she came in and dropped it off with me. She didn’t know how to turn it off. I’m not sure if she’ll have her own Nintendo DS by the time I see her again. I really need to work on commission.

Tags: DS, hard sell, I need a commission.