The Alternate Extras of Halesowen

Jogging Reflection

"Great. And can we have one of the consoles active on a menu screen for a game, just to give a better frame?"

Jack turned to see the nearest of the consoles turn on to show a title screen for a bike racing game. He was then directed by Quinn to stand between the two chairs in front of the monitor, and told to look at the camera when answering the questions she gave him.

The camera was pointed at him and positioned slightly to his right, with Alicia stood behind it. Quinn told him the two questions she would ask, and he told them to wait while he thought on the answers.

What did he like about the store?

While he did come in here to take a look around, he wasn't an avid player of the games. He had rented an hour out on occasion to play on some of the Sonic games, but usually he was here just because of the merchandise. The price was usually fair, and it was easy to see what they had in stock. He guessed focusing on the merchandise side of things would be best.

What did he think about the store's quality?

He remembered the store as it had been before, still called Gamestation but as a different store entirely that sold all the latest consoles and games as well as the retro stuff, rather than just being a retro gaming café with the latest in merchandise. He'd come in here with his parents whenever they had finished shopping, marvelling at the newest games available and looking at the cases for certain ones. He'd only have ever bought ten games at maximum per console he owned, and most of those had been sold on so he had just one left and a few games.

But one thing he hadn't liked about the store back then was how it had tried to use as much space as possible to get the most things packed inside the small space. Even now, some of the other stores he had been in tried to do the same thing. It was awkward to have to try to shuffle past someone who was looking on the shelves in spaces that barely seemed wide enough to hold two people side by side.

With answers ready, he affirmed they could begin. It took less than a minute to record those lines, and once they were done, they were back to the computer he had first seen them at.

As he scrolled through the stock list of all the merchandise they held, which was a lot more than what they had on the shelves, Quinn asked him about his plans for the holiday.

He had a friend by the name of Darren, and every once in a while they arranged to meet up at events around the country, since Darren had long ago moved to the north. Occasionally they would meet away from events, and such a thing would be happening at the end of the month, despite the fact there was an event early next month that they would be going to.

He'd already heard Brandon talking about going to his first Summer of Sonic, and it would be Jack's first time, too. Brandon would be taking Oliver along with him, and while the two hadn't talked about such, he guessed that they'd meet up during the event and for whatever they'd do the next day.

They were both excited for that weekend.

As he told them about the end of the month, he had found the item he wanted. He placed the order and waited for it to be brought out for him. Once he paid, he continued talking about the day until he could end the conversation without being rude.

He didn't want to keep them talking all day so they missed out on finishing the advert they were working on.

He walked out of Gamestation after saying a goodbye to them, the item in his backpack, and decided on which route he would take home.

There was another great route he enjoyed that was near the leisure centre he worked at that also followed a channel of water into a park. Out of the town centre he started jogging again, heading toward the route that would take him into Haden Hill Park.

As he jogged on the route, he thought again about why he was on the media course. He had seen it as a way to continue being active and at least contributing to something. At first, he hadn't been that interested in public service or any job that he saw would keep him grounded to one position. He wanted to travel to new and interesting places, and had seen being part of a media crew as a sure way of doing so.

However, recently he had been thinking about helping out as staff at a leisure centre, as he had seen that it would give him the experience needed to take himself to new and interesting places. He hadn't considered the fact that if he started local and gained the qualifications and experience necessary within the field, he would look more attractive to potential employers at holiday resorts around the UK, and even beyond.

But while the summer holiday would allow him to complete the training and pass the qualifications to become a true lifeguard, he still felt the need to at least see this last year of the college course through.

He'd have the time to do both, which would also allow him to have a full year of experience as part of his CV for any job he might think of trying for.

He'd have fun throughout the years, and once he'd had his fill of travelling to new places, he would return, experienced in helping people get medical attention within all areas of the leisure centre, and start passing that knowledge and the stories he had gained along the way to others hoping to become what he and his brother were.