That Time I Almost Ruined Our Family’s Tax Refund As A 5th Grader

It was the 1990s

My family had just purchased our first home computer. We were able to make such a purchase thanks to a larger than normal tax refund that year. I don’t know why it was more, but Dad was really happy about it.

The computer had an Intel 386DX processor. I remember this because the 486 series was also out and I really wanted that, but it was a price jump from what we could afford. Even with that year’s refund.

I don’t remember how much it was either now, all these years later. I do remember holding it in my hand though and feeling as if it was the most money I’d probably ever hold in my hands at any point in my life ahead. Then again, I thought the same thing when my grandpa gave me $50 at a toy store in the mall once. That’s a different story though.

I was so excited about the purchase that I got a book from the elementary school library about how computers worked. I needed to know everything I could about this glorious new machine. Up until now my only exposure to computers was in the computer lab at school. Those were Apple computers and this was a Windows 3.11 PC.

I didn’t know then, but two of my favorite MS-DOS video games of all time would be played on that machine: Prince of Persia (1989) and Star Trek: Judgement Rites (1993)

– @JoelGratcyk

My parents both worked at the time.

They had alternating day and evening shifts that left a window of time where my two younger sisters and I would be home alone for a short amount of time. It was in this window without parental supervision that I disassembled our brand-new computer. Each computer component was orderly arranged on the carpet so I would remember the sequence of my actions.

That’s when Dad came home from a long shift. Mom was already at work and my little sisters were playing in the other room. I’ll never forget the look of shock on his face as he took in the scene of computer parts covering the floor of the living room. Thousands, I can only assume, of dollars of possibly ruined brand new equipment not in the places their makers intended. I now, as a dad myself, understand what a shock that must have been to his system.

I was in that moment, I found out years later, that he has the following train of thought:

Okay, Bob, You have two options here:

1.) Freakout and possibly ruin your son’s future in computers.

2.) Give him a chance to prove himself (even though he probably just trashed your tax-refund) and put the thing back together in working order.

– My dad

I credit him for his shaky voice but calm response.

My dad gave me a chance to put the computer back together and show him that I knew what I was doing. I might have only been 10 or 11, but he chose to put his trust in me. Even if it was sort of forced by the situation.

He gave me a time limit. I don’t remember what it was now. 30 minutes. Maybe an hour?

He went into his room and I went to work putting things back together. It was easy from what I remember. Everything got put back in order. I adjusted the sound level on the speakers and pushed the power button. That wonderful Windows 3.11 startup sound played and all was well with the world again.

Disaster averted.