The Way Back Machine: You Have Died of Dysentery

I was playing The Oregon Trail recently on [device redacted]¹, and, as I was informed that one of my children had contracted cholera, I was reminded of playing the game in a school computer lab when I was younger. Specifically, I was reminded of the problems that arise when people playing the game don't understand what the game is trying to tell them.²

[scrippet]
INT. COMPUTER LAB - DAY

CRAIG and FRIEND are sitting in front of what appears to be the world's oldest COMPUTER, playing Oregon Trail.

COMPUTER
George has cholera.

CRAIG
Great, we're already behind schedule and don't have money to spare for medicine.

FRIEND
It's not that bad. I had it once.

Craig turns from the computer to look at his friend.

CRAIG
What?

FRIEND
Cholera. I had it. It's really no big deal.

Craig stares blankly, trying to find some way to respond. He BLINKS slowly.

CRAIG
No.

FRIEND
Yep. I did.

Craig sighs.

CRAIG
(Resigned)
Ok.

FRIEND
My mom told me. I had it when I was a baby. I was crying all the time.

CRAIG
That's colic, not cholera.

FRIEND
Oh. Well, what's cholera then?

CRAIG
(Turning back to the computer)
We're just going to keep going. If he dies, he dies.
[/scrippet]

¹Not putting the name of it here, so that I'm not the guy who talks about this device non-stop, despite the fact that many of you have already heard me talking about this device non-stop.

²This conversation section is written in a scrippet. Yes, I did that just because I can. No, I cannot claim any responsibility for it; scrippets are the brainchild of John August. If isn't working for you, try viewing in Chrome, Safari or FF. For more info on them, check out scrippets.org