I want to say I was 9 years old. My cousin was 10. We were big on the junk wax era cards - I think we were both sitting on $12 collections at the time. My biggest card was probably a Will Clark Rookie

I want to say I was 9 years old. My cousin was 10. We were big on the junk wax era cards - I think we were both sitting on $12 collections at the time. My biggest card was probably a Will Clark Rookie Card or something like that. Some overproduced piece of trash. I didn’t even watch baseball. I only *somewhat* knew of it because my cousin was ALWAYS talking the Giants. I didn’t care AT ALL.  
 
But. I loved basketball. The Michael Jordan rookie card was a huge deal to me back then. I think it was about $100 - an absolute ungodly amount for my 9 year old mind to comprehend. 
 
I don’t know how or why, but I called all of the card shops within a 100-mile radius and asked if they had any Jordan Rookies for sale or for trade. One lady in South Tahoe told me she had a few...but they were well out of my reach...She then told me she had fakes and was selling them for $20/each.  
 
My cousin and I came up with an elaborate plan to purchase one, then try to trade it at a card show for a real one. And if we got caught we were just going to play dumb.  
 
A few weeks later, my stepmom drove us down to South Tahoe. I had that $20 in hand...I felt like I was going to rob a bank. I went inside the shop and I distinctly remember the green carpet...the brass fixtures...the golden pine cabinets...the library lights...pure 80’s.  
 
There was the old lady and (presumably) her husband…’what can I help you with?’  
 
I stumbled…’um...I’m here to buy the $20 Jordan rookie card.’  
 
She stared at me.  
Took my $20. 
Went under the counter and pulled one out.  
She tossed it on the counter and stared at me some more.  
And.  
Then.  
This.  
B!tch...  
...Pulled the card out the sleeve. Grabbed a rubber stamp and ink pad. And stamped the word ‘COUNTERFEIT’ across the back of my Jordan Rookie Card.  
 
I may never own a real one, but this one is almost more important to me  
 
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