The Addicts – Millenials. Types of people who still come to Internet cafes
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There's a couple of them. How to recognize them? They come for a while, for example five hours, and then just extend, hour by hour: "Another hour, please." Setting arbitrary thresholds, just to motivate to play less. No good. Five hours become ten, twelve, then sixteen. Energy drink after energy drink, cigarette after cigarette. Leave, make errands, get money, and come back to spend it. Sometimes, they also resort to credit. After a few days, they're in more debt than our weekly wages. If they had stopped coming, they would save up for a decent gaming rig in a few weeks. But they can't stop for a minute. LoL and Dota is what it's all about.
When they arrive in the morning, they already have the first symptoms of withdrawal syndrome – sweat, trembling hands. Throw a few bills on the counter and back to work. If they pay by card, they don't even wait to check whether the transaction passed. You thought it would be funny, didn't you? This is what a disease looks like. For every couple of people there is one with natural tendencies to addiction. And the worst part is, as an employee, I can't deny them access. That would be logical, though, wouldn't it? People under the influence can't buy beers right? And if it was my business, I'd probably do the same. It's not my business. Also: none of my business.
Lately, one of those clients, who exhibited the most advanced symptoms I've ever seen, has stopped coming. Should I be happy about it? Did he get out? Did he go to rehab? Maybe just got his own PC? Maybe he borrowed one. Took a loan. And now he's able to play all he wants, paying no heed to obstacles such as "We're closing." With mounting debts. I'll probably never know how this story ended.
WASH YOUR HANDS
A common habit of most of my clients is that they do not wash their hands after going to the toilet. How do I know? I can't hear the water. And then they come to pay. Always with cash, which I have to take from them. If you want to know a quick way of getting aversion to money and mild germophobia – that's it.
Addicts – Boomers
A game is a game. And if I were to estimate how many people come to us to play video games, and how many to bet on horse racing or other sad (because unpredictable) games, I'd probably say 50:50. In a pie chart, these two large groups wouldn't leave much of the "pie" for other types of customers. Anyway – I don't care what people do with their savings.
It's none of my business.
Sometimes I see what pages clients leave on their screens, though. I also know those clients are at least 40-years-old, fairly low or middle income (yes, I judge by appearance, you have to forgive me), addicted to stimulants, and constantly depressed or apathetic, with occasional glimpses of happiness – after booze or after winning. Addicts share many traits with gamblers. They're just two different generations. And at least they still have residual joy and kindness.
