Gratitude

My very first experiences with fantasy games were shaped by three different products, each published by TSR. The Holmes Basic Set; the module In Search of the Unknown by Mike Carr, which was included in the Basic Set; and the boardgame Dungeon! If you read this blog for any length of time, you'll very quickly notice how often I refer to these. They are, for me, the most primal totems of the hobby to which I have devoted myself for the past four decades and counting. It is impossible to emphasize how much they mean to me or the impact they have had upon my imagination.

Sadly, J. Eric Holmes died in 2010. At the time, I didn't even know he was still alive. If I had, I certainly would have made an effort to interview him or, at the very least, drop him an email to let him know how much his work had meant to me as a young person. His work quite literally played a vital role in turning me into the person I am today. I owe him a great debt.

A couple of years ago, I attended my first GameholeCon and enjoyed it greatly. One of its pleasures was being able to meet and talk in the flesh with people I'd only ever known online prior to that point. I believe very strongly in the value of real world, physical interactions with people. That's one of many reasons why the present moment is so frustrating. The difficulty of meeting with people away from the computer screen is, I think, vital to our well being and I, like most people, miss that. I'll also miss seeing my many friends at GameholeCon.

Back to my point: the first time I went to the con, I saw a group of people clustered on the floor, playing a game that involved tiny ship models. The group was a mix of young and old, led by a man wearing a straw hat. I was fascinated by what they were doing and watched at a distance. After a while, a friend of mine saw me and said, "I think they're playing Don't Give Up the Ship!" He then added, "That fellow in the hat is Dave Megarry." My eyes lit up; Megarry is the creator of Dungeon! I knew then that I wanted to speak with him, once the game was done, but I'm a very shy fellow and almost didn't. 

Fortunately, I changed my mind, plucked up my courage, and approached him. With him was his wife and another man, tall and with a beard and glasses. I introduced myself and Megarry did the same for his wife and the other man, who, it turned out, was none other than Mike Carr. I couldn't believe my luck! I immediately thanked them both, telling them how much their work had meant to me and that I wouldn't have been at that con if it hadn't been for them, or words to that effect. They both received the thanks graciously and in turn thanked me for my kind words. Later, I had the chance to chat at greater length with Mr Carr about Dawn Patrol, another of his creations that I played a lot as a kid. I left the con that year feeling very satisfied, as if I had, in a small way, repaid a debt.

Since then, I've made a point of reaching out to my elders in the hobby who've done things I liked or that have influenced me. I wasn't able to do this with Dr Holmes, which is why I've vowed not to let that happen again. I recommend that others do the same.