Today, while conducting a walkthrough on the Mezzanine level of my building, I discovered a Tamagotchi digital pet in one of the drawers of an old filing cabinet. I was instantly tickled. I hadn’t seen one in close to 20 years. That brings me to this week’s moment in the Flashback Friday series: the Tamagotchi digital pet.
How I first came across this moment? I was first introduced to the Tamagotchi in 1997, when I saw the commercials for it on television as the Christmas holiday shopping season approached. It was my sister who asked my mother for one and it ended up being one of the Christmas gifts for me as well.
What it meant to me then? Initially, I didn’t think too much of the Tamagotchi when I opened the gift wrapped box on Christmas Day 1997. It really wasn’t my speed. When I helped Jasmine out with hers, I saw some intrigue in the different stages it went through…from egg to baby to child to teen to adult. I wasn’t particularly fond of having to always clean up after my Tamagotchi so I may have disciplined it a bit more than what was necessary when it was in the baby and child stages. My joint was off the hook as a teen and adult. It eventually died…probably a result of my bad parenting. I did have some good games of rock, paper, scissors with my Tamagotchi though. I became fond of the digital pet until I lost it a few months later in the Summer of 1998.
What it means to me now? Of course, when I saw the Tamagotchi at work today, I checked to see if it was still operational. It was not…even with a change in batteries. I don’t think it would’ve fared any better under my care in 2016 than it did in 1997-1998. It would’ve been cool to see it working though. It would’ve made the perfect time passer on the Metro between Farragut North and Union Station.
