20 Memories for #Pokemon20 – Day 3: Memoirs of a Ditto Card Collector
A story of a card collector and his Ditto card, in celebration of #Pokemon20.
By The 20th anniversary of Pokémon is looming at 18 days away! Continuing our celebration of the 20th anniversary, the “Ask PC” column shares the significant memories of The PokéCommunity‘s Pokémon fans! Catching our attention is a lovingly-written memoir by Electricbluewolf about collecting Ditto-related cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game…
I remember when the Pokémon Trading Card Game started. I was around 4, and my brother was 9, and so with his pocket money he would buy the base set of cards (£2.50 back in the day, whoo!) I was amazed at the different colours and all the different shapes of the Pokémon — and I loved the shiny ones. I remember saving up my pocket money so hard, and buying a fossil pack. It had my first ever holo, and it was a Ditto. I loved his simple face and he was my favourite colour. I promised myself I would always keep this card, no matter what. A few months passed and obviously collecting the cards had become very popular in school. I had gotten more holos than ever, and was very proud of my collection.
However, there was this small group of girls whose life goal was to make me miserable during school. They always physically and mentally bullied me; I tried to ignore it and focus on the only thing that at the time made me happy; my Pokémon cards. During a lesson they stole my bag and folder of cards, tore most up and then chucked the rest around the playground.
When I discovered this I was devastated. The teachers didn’t help as they blamed me for bringing them in. Of course, other people picked a few up; some people kept them and other people handed them back to me. I just wanted one card though; my Ditto. One the girls who done it said they had torn that one up, but I remember with tears down my face desperately looking for it. I had given up hope when the lunch-time bell rang, I refused to go to lessons as I just wanted to keep on looking.
Whilst they phoned my parents to collect me as I refused to take part, I searched everywhere — under rocks, bushes and in-between fence panels.
Just as my parents arrived I moved a bin aside and low and behold was my Ditto card! They had stepped on it and scraped it across the ground so it was very beaten up. But it was mine, and mine to keep! My parents moved me out of the school after a few years, and the school I went to after had a lot of other Pokémon friends, so they helped me collect more cards!
I’ve never really stopped collecting. There have been times when I’ve bought less, as I had other things going on, but no matter how many Gold Stars, Full Arts or EXs I have, I always have my Ditto card.
Edited by Jake.