Page 12 of The Gift of the Maltipoo
She waved her hand at him. “Just like most men, you are so oblivious to everything around you. And you need to get hit on the head before you realize what is right in front of you.” She rolled her eyes. “I thank your boss for having his party. Otherwise my son would never have figured anything out.”
“Geez, Mom. You know I’ve been busy too.”
“Yes. Taking care of your old mother rather than keeping your eyes open to someone who might love you. I am going to be fine, and you need to find yourself a life—something more than killing zombies.” She sighed. “I wish you would make a less death-like game.”
“The good guys kill the zombies,” Tyler explained. “And when they win the game, they kill the alpha zombie, the one who started it all and infected them. So when they kill him, they rid the world of zombies and everything is good.”
“Have you played one of his games?” Anthony asked.
Tyler’s mother scoffed and pointed to the cabinet under the television. “I have one of those video game players. Tyler boughtit for me some time ago. I play all his games, and I’m very good. I haven’t played in a while. But I will when the next one comes out.”
“I had no idea,” Tyler said.
“You’re my son. Of course I look at your work. It’s very good. But after cancer and all these months of surgery and treatment, I want something less—”
“Bloody?” Anthony asked.
“I want something playful and funny. I don’t have any ideas, but that’s what I really want.”
Tyler took his mom’s hand. “I know you do. But it’s these kinds of games that really sell. I could try to come up with something different next time, but I’m not sure what it would be.Save Grandma? Maybe a game where you battle disease and in the end cure cancer.”
She shook her head. “Or maybe a game with ducks, geese, and turkeys where you try to keep them from becoming dinner. I can just imagine. The ducks drop eggs and bomb the hunters who are trying to shoot them. Or maybe they just poop on them.”
“Mom, I am not going to make a feces video game. Can you imagine what that would look like? It’s gross, and what happens if the hunters get the birds? If they shoot them, then do they instantly turn into duck dinner? No, sorry. I’m going to stick with zombies. They pay the bills.”
His mother rolled her eyes. “Fine. But I’m going to think of more ideas. I’d like something I can play with the ladies when they come over.”
Anthony giggled like a teenager. “You could develop a whole new video game segment. Games for old people.”
“They already have those. It’s called solitaire,” Tyler grumped. “Can we please change the subject? I brought Anthony over to meet you, and you both gang up on me.” He held Daisylike a security blanket. “Do you really not want a dog of your own?”
“Nope. Not right now. Though if you need someone to babysit my grandpuppy, I’m more than happy to do that.” She yawned and leaned back. Soon she was asleep, and when Tyler gently set Daisy on the sofa, she curled up near Mom. Tyler got a blanket and put it over her before leaving the room.
“Old lady video games,” Anthony said. “I really think there’s a market.”
“Seriously?” Tyler questioned.
“Yeah. It doesn’t have to be a first-person shooter game, but something where an older person as opposed to a marine or an army guy is the hero. Think about it. Your mom probably played on the first Atari system all those years ago. Or maybe she had one of those Texas Instrument game systems. She started playing when she was a kid, and most older people did. So give them something they can play together or with their grandkids. Could you imagine aGrandma Got Run Over by a Reindeervideo game? OrNursing Home Breakout? They could be funny and geared to older people.”
“You’re serious?” Tyler asked, and Anthony shrugged. “I suppose it isn’t going to hurt to run it by the company and see what they think. But I find it hard to believe that it’s going to be something they would be interested in.” It seemed to him like his mother and his boyfriend had drunk the Kool-Aid or something.
“I don’t think this going to be a blockbuster or anything….”
“And that’s the problem. It takes a lot of time and effort to develop, distribute, and market a game, so they have to hope with each one they make that it is a mega hit. You can’t go through all that for middle-of-the-road returns. It just doesn’t really work.” It was hard for others to understand, but the stores wanted games that would fly off the shelves, otherwise they weren’t going to put their time and shelf space behind it. “Canwe talk about something else?” He really needed a change of subject. “Anything.”
“Sorry. I was just teasing you.”
“I know. But I have people giving me game ideas all the time. The thing is that if I don’t feel it, I can’t do it. My job is creative, and it’s not something that I can do on command. Most people, including my mother, don’t understand that. It’s not something I can turn on and off at will.” It was a major source of tension for him.
“I get it, and thank you for telling me.” He quirked his eyebrows. “So no games for little old ladies?”
“Not from me.”
“Awww,” Anthony said. “So I suppose a game about lawyers isn’t going to happen either.”
Tyler grinned. “Oh, that I can do. But it will be underwater, because first we drown all the lawyers.” He grinned, and Anthony groaned.
“I give up,” Anthony told him, and Tyler put his arms around his neck.
