In Search of .....

We recently went on a short trip to Seattle to witness the graduation of #2 from the University of Washington School of Law.  He has spent the last three years studying up in the clean environment of the Pacific Northwest.  Jordan is proof that clean air aides asthma sufferers as his symptoms were diminished during his stay up there.  When he would come home for a visit, he would start wheezing the moment he stepped off the plane.  At his mother's request, he reluctantly went through the graduation ceremony.  It was Sunday night at Benaroya hall in downtown Seattle.  It was streamed live and you can watch it on YouTube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXMaZ_i9mA0.  He appears at the 1 hour 40 minute mark according to his cousin in Ohio.    We were fortunate to have his two brothers, Auntie Judy, Auntie Phyllis and Uncle Jerry and Jordan's friend David from the bay area in attendance.  Though there is some doubt the brothers were paying attention as they were reportedly watching the Golden State Warrior Cleveland Cavalier game on the iPhone.

During the Face Time conversation with the Grandsons, Grandma promised that their dad would bring back a present for them.  The response was a request for Pokemon Cards.  They still have those?  Well, according to the Internet, there was a Pokemon store located in Seattle on the way to the airport at Northgate Mall.  One of three in the United States.  On further investigation as we were heading there with visions of Pokemon paraphernalia galore, Jared reads the fine print, that the store is actually a kiosk.

In my mind I envisioned a sectioned off area in the middle of the mall filled with every version of Pikachu you could imagine.  I had just read an article that Amazon was opening a kiosk in Torrance with a photo of an open area filled with merchandise and figured a large company that owns Pokemon would have something similar.  We had been to the Pokemon store in Shibuya years ago where we had to wait in line just to get in the store.  My expectations were not high, but......

What we found after a long walk down the mall corridor was a Pokemon vending machine.  With stuff you could probably buy on Amazon.  Then we noticed next door there was an actual store that sold anime merchandise that included Pokemon.  I'm still kicking myself for not taking a picture of Gayle next to the machine.  My reaction?  You mean to tell me Seattle and New York are the only cities that have an official Pokemon Vending Machine?  Of course we bought the cards and a plush from the official vending machine instead of the store next door.