chapter3

While Howard is getting addicted to DDR, I was acting as a bystander to the DDR scene - maybe for a while. The DDR scene was still going strong in Asia but North America was left behind. There are more curious people who will ask what DDR is, though.

One day in April, someone sent me a Hong Kong IRC chat site from the internet and there was a DDR channel in it. I decided to take a look inside. After I entered the room I was immediately greeted by someone.

"Hey, you, SYSS Mouse, are you from Sing Yin Secondary School?" A guy with the nickname SkyEric asked me. I was using SYSS Mouse as my cyber nickname.
"I am. Do I know you, and how do you know me?" I typed.
"I am Eric. The name SYSS reminds me about that school. I used to be in that school." Eric replied.

What? I was in that school before coming to Canada.

"And may I ask your last name?" SkyEric asked.
I replied. His response is: "It is you! Kenny! I am Eric [the] Dog. I was in your class."

Oh dear. Cyber encounter. I only heard about this on comedy shows, and I never dreamed it to happen on me. Worse, it is a DDRer encounter.

"Hello? Are you too shocked to answer me?"
"No, not at all."
"So, Kenny, do you play DDR?" he asked.
"Not quite. Once or twice."
"Then why are you here?"
"Just pass by."
"You're right. Who will come to this place by chance? By the way, I heard that you are coming back to Hong Kong this summer. Isn't it?"
"It is. So what?"
"I'm gonna see your DDR skill."
"Screw that. I'm only at basic level."
"Maybe you are too shy to play. I have been playing DDR since it was introduced to Hong Kong in December 1998 and now, I am playing the hardest songs in maniac level and, sigh, have spent hundreds of dollars in it." Eric typed. "Anyway, see you in Hong Kong."
"Showing off, eh?"
"You may say so."

"So you are addicted to DDR, Kenny." Carmen spoke to me at this time. "I've been watching you since the conversation. Congratulations, you've found an old classmate."
"You scared me."
"Oh. I'm so sorry. I have absolutely no interest on you guys." My sister always talks like that.

Carmen left the computer screen and I was just in time to respond to Eric's message.
"Ha. It was those days when I actually won a DDR tournament. But do you actually know what happened in Hong Kong about DDR?"
"I must admit that I don't really know what happened."
"Let me tell you on ICQ. My number is 2165****."