Monday, August 22, 2016

This is My Dream Job

This is My Dream Job
by Levi Hanson (Action City Game-Tech)

I was just a little guy when I went to my first arcade at the local shopping mall. My first impression was, "wow." I had no idea so many awesome games and contraptions could be in one place! Since then, every aspect of arcades has amazed me. I used to build crane games and skee-ball machines out of cardboard, tons of tape, and a pinch of imagination. I bought rolls of tickets at the party store and created my own ticket dispensers. The only thing I wanted for my birthday one year was a cash register. Long story short, I was (and still am) obsessed.

When Action City came along, I was one of the first people to go. Talk about a big surprise! This place was at least 10 times the size of the arcade I once thought was heaven. At the age of six, receiving my very own "Fun License" was a dream come true. Even at such a young age, my first long-term goal had already been cemented in my brain. I had to work here some day.

For my 10th birthday, of course we had to go to Action City. I remember it like it was yesterday. I had just won the jackpot on one of my favorite games (the Cyclone; it's a classic) when I heard over the PA system, "Attention all Action City guests, could Levi Hanson please report to the front desk?” I carefully made my way to the desk, confused and embarrassed because they said my name over the speakers (my dad knew it would get me). I thought I did something wrong! I told the lady my name, and she responded, "Great! Benny will be ready for you in just a minute." Benny?  Why would someone named Benny have any interest in me? It turns out that my dad had secretly arranged a special "behind-the-scenes" tour just for me, with the General Manager of my favorite places on earth! I got to go where only employees had gone before. I met a man named Kelly, who walked around the building with me and answered all my questions. He taught me about how certain machines worked and even showed me how to refill the tickets in the games. I got to meet some of the Game Techs; they are the ones who fix the games when they aren't working quite right. I wanted to be a Game Tech so badly that I convinced Benny, my new-found hero, to let me follow them around as a job shadow.

I'm a Game Tech now. I've (officially) worked here for over two years, and I can't imagine myself working anywhere else. This is my dream job. I get to do what I've wanted to do since I was six years old. Coming here as a kid made me the happiest person on the planet, and working here has forced me to step out of my comfort zone and pursue my dreams. I love working at a place where my job is to make people happy. This place has inspired me to hopefully make a difference in the lives of others, the way Action City has done for me.