Personal Narrative: The Drive To Max's Home

The drive to Max’s house in New Jersey remains one of the clearest memories of my childhood. The glistening skyscrapers of Jersey City gave way to the grey industrial parks of Newark, which were followed by miles of tranquil townships. Within an inconspicuous house located on a tree-lined street of cookie-cutter homes, I had created some of my greatest childhood memories with Max and several other friends from New York. Our Parents were all classmates, yet Max’s parents had moved to New Jersey for the suburban experience. Max had once explained to us how his school was filled with the snobbiest kids whom he didn’t get along with. Looking back, we were probably Max’s only close friends, but we were too busy having as much as fun as we could

The fascination I felt as I scanned Max’s gaming cabinet for the first time has never been paralleled in my life. The Shelves were lined with games: some that my parents refused to buy, others I had been forbidden to play at home, and quite a few that I had never seen before. Each game was a completely new experience for me, and Max was happy to share his collection. Initially in Milkman’s relationship with Hagar it was the “firsts” of his experiences that captivated him. When Milkman first catches sight of Hagar “, He had already fallen in love with her behind” (43). Similarly when Milkman first hears Hagar sing “, Hagar’s voice scooped up what little pieces of heart he had left to call his own” (49). In both Milkman’s relationship and my relationship, the initial discovery captivates us. The exploration of the relationship between Max and I provided me with a sense of excitement when I was introduced to his hobbies. Milkman was captivated when he was introduced to Hagar’s figure and voice. Although we both expressed initial excitement, this enthusiasm was replaced by boredom in both Milkman and I as time wore