The Key to Victory, Part 2
1297 Words
“For 10 million yen, here’s the question.
“The very first operating systems from Microsoft and Apple were released in what year?”
So here I was, entering the final round of the popular TV quiz show Quiz Battler.
It airs every Sunday morning even up to this day.
I have breezed through fourteen questions of varying difficulty like a hot dagger through butter. It just so happened that those questions were stored in my brain's database as stock knowledge.
But now, I have encountered a question that is virtually unknown to me – a question that only occurred to me at that time.
Even though I am a techie at the tender young age of 20, I did not research things like old operating systems.
And before you ask, this quiz show doesn't employ multiple choices.
Surely those old OS's were developed way before I was even born, but… neither my school nor my equally-techie parents taught me about them.
And if you're asking me to “just freaking Google it”, forget it.
I just don't have enough time for hours of surfing since my schedule was full with extracurricular activities, and I have to do important homework, too.
That's the diligence in me.
Sure, the internet existed back then, but most of the materials related to computer history are in English, which doesn't help matters as a Japanese youngster going against the language barrier.
Tensions were really rising high. It's 10 million yen or nothing for me – even though the quiz show host consoled me with the following...
“Relax. Don't worry if you've answered incorrectly. You’ll still receive forty thousand yen as compensation, OK?”
But being the confidently determined person that I am, I responded to the host...
“But I need to clinch the ten million. I've gone this far... and it's too late to turn back now.”
I then entered my quiet trance, closing my eyes. Ignoring the audience’s heckling, I relied on my hunches alone to get the answer.
“Oh well, this guy's in deep thought while thinking of the answer. Let's see if his deep thinking will net him the ten million after the commercial break. Please stay with us.”
The commercial break commenced, and I was still in my trance. My only whispering mantra was... “Get the 10M! Get the 10M! Get the 10M!”
And in my head, the following thoughts occurred.
“I'm sure the first OS's were developed in the eighties. And if I select only one year from that decade… there's a 1/10 chance of me winning.”
“Wait... let’s just link two unrelated events that coincidentally happened in the same year...”
“Hmm... Mom said her first PC was the Commodore 64... but she forgot what kind of OS it is running.”
The commercial break eventually ended, and the host jovially declared it.
But I was still in my self-imposed trance.
“Well, dude. Still mulling over that answer? Man, this guy's really determined! I can sense in him… his 'never give up' attitude!”
Even the audience chimed in with their cheers.
Some minutes passed… and I finally opened my eyes.
I then gave my final answer with grace.
“1983. This was the year when Philippine senator Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino was slain… and this was also the year when the first operating systems from Microsoft and Apple were released. One exited stage left, two entered stage right. 1983... is my final answer.”
That random fact from Philippine history was something I picked up from history class, if you may ask.
“Are you sure?” the host asked me.
“I. Am. Sure.”
“OK... so what's the correct answer? Computer... show it!”
The giant LCD screen flashed the correct answer. It was indeed 1983.
I clinched the ten million yen question at last.
Everyone in the TV studio cheered to no end. And me? I breathed a giant sigh of relief – knowing that I've broken through this great obstacle.
And my parents were none the happier when they witnessed their only child winning the grand prize.
“Congratulations! I'm very impressed by what you have shown! You're not just intelligent… you’re also brimming with perseverance! That’s the mark of a true winner!”
Thank you. That was all I could say to the host and to the audience.
I have won in this final game of a seemingly unimportant quiz show – unimportant to those who value glitz and glamour rather than wit and intellect, that is – but an even greater game, the game of life, is continually being played by me.
***
Needless to say, Harumi is impressed by my story.
“So to sum up your quiz show experience, serendipity was your key to victory.”
“Yeah, you can say that.”
We then take some good sips of our throat-relieving drinks.
The clock ticks 6:30, so there's still ample time for our storytelling session.
“Well, since you've narrated your experience, it's time I narrate a similar one.”
“Go on, be my guest.”
“Here it goes. I haven't told you yet, but I'm a huge fan of listening to late-night radio.”
“But don't you sacrifice your sleep for that?”
“Not to worry. I usually sleep early in order to make up.”
“Good. That eye bag I told you a few days ago? Good thing it didn't get worse, since my sleep patterns got way better ever since.”
“That's great, Anyway, I love listening to 89.9 Eiyuu FM, which is this town's solo local radio station. My favorite program is 'The Nightly Sail' by DJ Keito, which airs everyday at midnight, even on weekends. Basically, it's a talk show where he discusses several topics in a coll and casual way. He may sometime dip his hands into politics, but fortunately he's no extremist. I especially like how he likes to c***k jokes every now and then, since he was a former comedian at a stand-up bar. He even plays some tunes to go along with his talk.
“Three years ago, I joined the program's monthly contest. Like the quiz show you joined in, it's a trivia contest – only that the questions being asked by DJ Keito are of a far different beast. His questions are usually related to love, relationships, and human psychology.”
“Well, since people can just look up the answers online, isn't that contest unfair?”
“Well, the host knows of that possibility, so instead of resorting to absurd measures such as cutting off internet connections – which would lead to a serious offense – he's employing the 'fastest finger first' approach. Meaning... the first to call his hot-line will be the one to answer his question of the month. And if the contestant fails to answer once and only once within 30 seconds, then it's on to the next caller.”
“Makes sense.”
“So then... I joined the contest by calling DJ Keito's online as fast as I could. I knew I and several others could congest his line at that time, but it was all or nothing for me.”
“Why? What's the prize that was at stake?”
“A giant Woopwoop-kun plush.”
Woopwoop-kun? That's the protagonist of a popular children's anime that's been running for over a decade now.
“Hey. Why the fascination with a children's anime character?”
“He's just cute, you know. And many of his antics are, too!”
If I recall correctly, Woopwoop-kun's episodes are structured around his encounters with several types of people, considering that he's an alien from who knows where.
“Wait a sec. That show also contains some child-friendly toilet humor. And I don't like those sort of jo--”
“Bzzt. Time's up! It's already seven o'clock, and thus our evening storytelling time is over.”
“Aw bummer. But at least I'll catch up to that cliffhanger of yours.”
“You'd better do it! Well then... nighty-night.”
“Yup, good night to you, too.”
Seriously... why her fascination with Woopwoop-kun?
Wait a sec... I remember Noemi also being a fan of that show.
She always tuned in to a new episode every Wednesday, and she caught up on previous episodes if ever she missed any of them.
Now that's three points in favor of Harumi being Noemi's reincarnation, since she's already proven her artistic merit by virtue of me looking at her other art pieces in her unit.
- Writer
