Like many other kids his age, Caine Monroy enjoys playing games and going to the arcade. But this 9-year-old from Los Angeles is very different from his peers in one aspect: He built the arcade himself.
A viral video released yesterday is bringing attention to Caine's makeshift arcade, stationed in his father’s used auto parts store in East Los Angeles. Caine took cardboard boxes normally used for shipping and turned them into elaborate arcade-style games, complete with prize displays and handwritten brown paper prize bags, and even built a security system involving calculators. Although business is slow for both Caine and his father, George -- who due to a lack of walk-in traffic has taken most of his car parts sales to eBay -- Caine’s only customer, a filmmaker named Nirvan Mullick, decided to give his small-business venture a boost. Mullick took to Reddit to speak of his discovery and decided to organize a surprise flashmob on Facebook to surprise Caine.
The story and the results of the flashmob have been compiled into a heartwarming 10-minute short film entitled “Caine’s Arcade." Mullick also wants to help send the young innovator to college. On the Caine’s Arcade website, people can donate to help reach the current goal of $25,000. As Mullick has written above the donation box: “Chip in $1 or more to help Caine to go to college. Imagine what this kid could build with an Engineering degree!”
Something tells us this isn’t the last we’ll hear of this big dreamer.
UPDATE: Since this articles publication yesterday, nearly $70,000 dollars has been raised for Caine's college scholarship fund. HuffPost Latino Voices have an update where they speak with Caine, his father George and filmmaker Nirvan Mullick.