Timido was terrified of DVD players, and that was the main reason he never got one. Though he was still quite young he felt left out since all his friends had a player, and some even had more than one. His best friend Aka was rumored to have had four at one time, but that is a different story.
There is nothing like peer pressure to make someone do something, and getting a DVD player was one of these things. Not withstanding the peer pressure, Timido saw the need to get a player. In the past, when Timido wanted to use his DVDs, he would have to rent a player for the night. Unfortunately, those never played very well, he guessed it was because they were overused.
Timido was baffeled by the choice of players but he was sometimes intrigued by his friends’ players. However, he knew very well that he couldn’t borrow one of these, even for a night, for many a friendship was destroyed when one buddy either used another buddys' player without permission, or in the wrong way.
Timido and Aka were best friends for many years and that was the only reason he managed to get Aka to help him choose a player. Timido had confidence in Aka because Aka had experience in these matters. Aka never had a problem with players and would sometimes, on impulse, walk into a store and walk out with the latest, slim line model. Timido could never do these things so he convinced Aka to help him choose one. Aka, quite rightly, never liked the idea of choosing a player for a friend because he feared he would be blamed if the player refused to play, say for example, on a Saturday night. The last thing Aka would want happen on a Saturday night was to be blamed, or worse, interrupted.
Aka gave Timido a pep talk on the way to the store. He explained that he should never choose a player because it simply looked good, though looking good has advantages, such as impressing friends. To reassure Timido, Aka told a story of a guy who brought home a player which was considered to be among the finest in the world. The player looked impressive and all his friends were in awe. But, as impressive as it looked, the player wouldn’t even open its tray much less play a DVD. Aka also explained that the latest models were sometimes too expensive and also cost a lot to maintain. “Everything has a price Timmy, and some players not only cost more but may even send you to the poorhouse, believe me I know” Aka warned Timido. Aka always said things in a wise way although what he said wasn’t. It was Aka's way I guess.
To be continued....
