All They Wanted Was Just the Tip

The following poem was submitted to, and accepted for publication (issue 12), on the now defunct website, Internet Girlfriend Club. It was published on May 22, 2023.

All They Wanted Was Just The Tip

Richy Srirachanikorn

Press your D.

no, not that one

Your ‘D to Dance’.

Then we’ll get some.

You feel that groove?

You wear the hat?

Return to your favourite spot just where ya sat.

                                                        Now stop.

                                        Make eye contact.

Yeah, him, or her, just anyone. Quick! They see

you – now

Scoop me

C a r e

F u l l y

                                                         Do it: press ‘T –

– to throw a snow

Ball’. For me? Why, thanks!

I’ll go... But you have to come get me

I know I’m second place

To the ace everyone goes to Club with

I’m just nIce, I’m just cool, I’m just a secret to

the newly joined fools

But then they’ll be told by those who know

about me. Then they’ll all come and go.

Never staying longer

Unless I put on a freebie or a festival show.

They berg and

barg-

ain,            again,            and

           again           and           again

and           again           again           ag-

ain,            again,            and

           again           and           again

and           again           again           and

about who’ll be first to tip me

To go deep and take my pearls,

taped-on pride like teenage virginity

But they’ll spend it on other things

and with everyone, back for the same and more

Even though everybody seas

I’m just forgotten ashore

So fuck em. I’ll never change.

I’ll stay the same, let them all play their game.

Gonna try to tip me over? Is that all they got?

Try harder, soon I’m gonna be turned off.

But for now, away from everyone

I think it’s just you and me

Come sit down, scoot over, massage my back

Show your love, do your D ance. Make me sea.

---

Author's Note

In 2005, the “Iceberg” was introduced to players of the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game Club Pen

guin (2005-2017) as a room accessible only by clicking on its icon in the game map. While the room is one of the oldest, its appearance and room-specific interactions between players has remained unchanged throughout the years.

Penguins either visited the room to play the “Aqua Grabber” minigame for coins, or en masse to ‘tip the Iceberg’ by equipping their hard hat helmets while standing on one side of the berg. Despite its status as a .jpeg file, penguins constantly tried to animate the Iceberg into being tipped over. It was persistent; all day and every day.

This poem was written in memory of the room, but more so, as a reflection on how the Iceberg may have felt about this decade- long relationship it had with players, dating all the way back to 2005.