BIG VAL FAN CLUB

WHY VAL

In 2003 I was at the hall for the Circuit. I was nine. All the chairs were taken by men with clipboards so I sat on the floor at the front. In the final, Val breathed out on every input and you could hear it, the whole hall could, slow, like a clock. She didn't look up once. Afterwards she signed my ticket stub without being asked and said "breathe out on the input, kid," and walked off.

I've breathed out on the input of everything since. Exams. Parallel parking. My wedding vows (I breathed out on "I do"; my husband says it sounded like a sigh; it was technique). This club exists so there's somewhere to say thank you that she doesn't have to answer.

— Dot Szabo, President, Member No. 1

VAL FACTS

• Undefeated in the finals of the Circuit of '03. "Which is the only place it counts."
• First score ever posted on NuxtreBlaster: 1,004,210.
• There is a score one point above it. We don't talk about it here. We don't need to. Val does.
• One trophy, four angles. The dent on the back is from the hall, not from her.
• Five foot one. Has never lost a final.
• "It's never the hands. It's the breathing."
• The Tape exists. It says "coming soon." It's still true.

All facts checked against the Trophy Room, which is the only source we accept. Want to see her play? NuxtreBlaster is in the Arcade and her score is on the wall.

LETTERS TO VAL

MEMBERS: 3

CLUB RULES

1. Val is always right about the game.
2. We don't trash-talk Val's opponents. That is Val's job and she is better at it.
3. We don't go looking for the Tape. Val will show the Tape when Val shows the Tape.
4. We don't bother her in #arcade-floor. If you go, you go to play. She's always there. She'll coach you whether you asked or not.
5. Breathe out on the input.

SIGN FOR VAL!

Sign the book! Say when you first saw her play, or what you'd say to her, or just your high score. We print the book out every December and send it as letter No. 42, 43, 44…