"Big brother, what does this word mean?"
"Huh, I'm not sure. Let's go ask grandpa, he knows everything!"
"An old piece of paper, huh? Is it from a newspaper? Let me see.."
"Where did you find this?"
"It was in your old coat pocket. We were playing and it fell out."
"Cryptocurrency..."
"I'll explain it to you. Follow me."
I open the door to a long forgotten room. On a desk rests a neglected machine paired with a small screen.
"Whoa! What is that thing! It's so old and dusty!"
"That is my old computer."
"No way!"
Yes, to them it's unheard of for a computer to be this crude and old.
However, there is something this little machine used to have they don't even know existed.
A web3 wallet.
My finger meets the power button and the familiar greeting of Windows booting flashes across the screen.
"Ew, so ugly! Did you guys really call this thing a computer?"
"Why, yes we did, and I used to spend a lot of time talking to people from all over the world, trading imaginary coins for money."
"You don't make any sense!"
"No, for you this is just foolish. But it was once my reality."
"We argued about which imaginary token was the best, we called each other scammers, but we also had some really fun times. Believe it or not. And besides, even though we argued all the time, we were all very alike."
"I don't get it!"
"We were an odd bunch. We would say we hated the pyramid schemes where we spent so much time and money, but in the end we always kept returning. It was captivating. It was a hope that we would one day 'make it.' "
"The chats were a place where we could be ourselves, without the masks of the society and "normality". We experienced the full spectrum of humanity day after day, the good and the bad of it. And enjoyed it."
"That is cryptocurrency. A way for people to be connected even though they are far apart. A network of money, information, and people. It got abolished long before you were even born, but it was once all I had."
"We shared opinions, insulted other people's opinions and called ours alphas. Some cheated others out of entire paycheques in elaborate schemes. It might sound stupid and mean, but deep down we were having fun."
"We also strayed from the topic more than once, but it often made the discussed topic to evolve into something beautiful. Or utterly stupid."
"We shared pictures of disgusting and weird things and mastur-discussed the reactions they got from us."
"We used to feel shame, anger, sorrow, confused and overjoyed together."
...
"Could you two please go away for a moment?"
"Eeeh?! Why? Tell us more!"
"Just go! I need to do something."
Of course it won't work. However...
I enter 'Telegram' into the start-menu search and hit return, clicking on the "GAK POSTING" title as I used to.
"This chat has been archived.
Writing messages isn't allowed in this group."
Heh, obviously.
You haven't been there for years have you?
Why is it all coming back now? All the stupid shit I traded and thought I had forgotten. All those hours I spent awake watching digital candles wick and burn.
I guess I really do miss you guys.
What was the last coin we bought together?
I don't have a clue, but one thing I remember for sure.
. . .
My shills were still alpha.
Where are you all now? How many of you have died already?
After all these years there has to be a shitload of you. Are you in the blockchain heaven with the Bogdanoffs?
Did you meet with your waifu? Did you find generational wealth elsewhere?
What happened to you? Tell me.
Please. Tell me..
Why is it all coming back now? Why do I remember all these silly shitcoins and Telegram stickers I don't remember memorizing?
"It's a lifestyle", huh?
I guess that one still holds true...
The hot wetness of a tear drop rolls down my cheek.
I might not know where you guys are now, but one thing is for certain.
We will be on-chain forever, even if the coin no longer exists.
And I'm completely fine with that.
Let's get rug-pulled again sometime.
See you on the moon.
