Neighbourhood grocer.

Slept right through the initial launch of the Kanto event. Was getting pretty frustrated when the game led me to do something that I almost absolutely never do: cross Madison Avenue.

Nice neighbourhood they've got. Brought back some happy memories just being there, seeing the house of someone who was decent, good, and kind to me when no one else would be. And not too very far away: Mocol's.

Mocol's is legendary. People who shop there are *delighted* to shop there — as of today, including me. Devotees of the meat department and tobacco department (cheapest in town) wouldn't shop anywhere else. They have things there you won't find anyplace else — like Dakota Trails Sweet and Hot Beef and Pork Jerky Bits. Or Buddy's grape, orange, and strawberry flavoured soda — made in New Ulm, without high fructose corn syrup, and genuinely sweet.

I must remember the name of the man who runs the place. He's amazing. It's only ten blocks from where I live (although unfortunately the sidewalks for most of the way are practically impassable in winter).

So yes. I can drive myself bonkers over this event or take it in stride. Today the game did something for me that I'd hoped it would when I got it: explore my neighbourhood. It's easy to get stuck in ruts walking places, and sometimes, yeah, extreme measures are called for. Like, you know, the mere prospect of quadruple Magikarp candy.

Pokémon Go is a toy, yes, but also a tool. I no longer believe that most people engage with the world they live in naturally. Long-standing distinctions between inner and outer space have been obliterated. We are all products of our culture, and it's moving forward faster all the time. If you told me six years ago I'd be watching Nick show us the glory of Japan at the height of the cherry blossom season the very first day, I would not have believed it. Nor would I have believed it would take a video game to get me to discover the last great small, local, neighbourhood grocery store. But there you have it.