I was in junior at high school, lowpoint of my life, I was super depressed, and everyday all I wanted was death. I cried myself to sleep every night, and whenever I tried to talk to someone about it, they would just insult me and call me a cuck. Even my own parents didn't love me, as whenever I tried to tell them how I feel, they shut me off and told me to be normal. I overhear them talk, wishing that I had been put up for adoption. I was bullied at school and had no friends. I was a pathetic husk of a man, drifting to class to class, at this point completely numb all other emotion other than unrelenting sadness and anger at myself. "Why can't I express myself, why must I live like this?" I often pondered.

But one day, one life changing day, I was looking threw the steam store. It was the summer sale, and I had some money for helping my uncle at his farm. I often do it for free out of respect for him, and because he is a nice guy, and it lets me spend time with him, but he said I did a really good job, and gave me some money. I've never really had much money growing up but when ever I did, I Usually bought games. I've always enjoyed them more than other media. They let me be someone who I'm not. Someone who People like. Anyway, I saw this game, Garfield kart. My god this game. Little did I know then, that it would change my life. Anyway, I thought it looked like a horrid game, just to make a quick buck off of a brand. I purchased it, mainly because I wanted to see how bad it was. When I launched I was opened with an angelic piece of music, blowing my expectations out of the water, which wasn't hard to do though. It was at that moment, when I heard that music, I felt something, something I haven't felt in a long time. Something good. I started to play the game, and around the 2nd lap, I realized something, I was in a custom game, and had it set to unlimited laps. I went to exit the game, but as I was about to do it, just seconds away from hitting the leave game option, I realized something. The whole idea of repeating a cycle forever with nothing changing reminded me of my life, going from class to class, day to day, feeling the exact same sadness. I broke down in tears, and left, wishing that leaving that game, would have some effect of my life, and leave my "cycle". I continued crying for hours, and when I calmed down, I noticed something. A track builder. This made me realize that I am in complete control over my life. I am free to forge my own path, and if I had to repeat a cycle, I was going to make sure that it was a damn good one.

When the next school year started, It was my senior year. I had decided after playing garfield kart and my whole cycle revelation, that I can make my own path, and was going to make some friends. There was this guy, Ben was his name, who had similar intrest as me and I wanted to become his friend as he seemed like a nice guy. It was with him that I learned to communicate, express emotions and feelings, and most of all, be happy.

After high school ended, I got something I never thought I would get. A scholarship, a full ride. I was on my school's fishing team, and I was pretty good at it, as I went with my uncle and he taught me how to be a really good fisherman. I never thought I was that good at it though. I went to college to be a game developer. I wanted to give people similar experiences as garfield kart gave me. In class I met this one guy, and he invited me over to come over to his apartment with some of his friends to play some Garfield Kart. I said sure and went over. going over there was the best decision of my life. I met 5 people, 4 boys and one girl. This girl was the most amazing women I've ever seen. Everything was perfect about her, her hair, her eyes, and her personality. It was love at first sight. We hit it off really well together at that party, and she was my first real friend since ben. During that party my roommate texted me that his girlfriend was staying the night, and asked me to not come back to our dorm for privacy. I asked the people there and the girl said that I could spend the night with her. I took her up on that offer and went home with her. later that night, we talked. Talked about our past. When I was telling her about my highschool years, and the sadness that came with them, I burst into tears. I couldn't help it. But she didn't make fun of me, like other people would. She heard me out, she talked with me about it, and thus, 18 years of bottled up sadness came out.

It's been 3 years since that night. Me and her are now married, and have a child on the way and if there's one thing I have to say, it's this,

Thank you Garfield Kart.