The concept of merging his virtual world with his family's real-world dream, of building a physical 'Gaffer's Dugout' with a real-life 'Gaffer's Office' streaming studio at its heart, was so brilliant, so perfect, that Ethan's mind buzzed with it for the rest of the night.
He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his brain a whirlwind of possibilities. He pictured it all: a cool, modern gaming cafe filled with kids, all competing in FCG tournaments.
The next morning, he woke up feeling a profound sense of purpose.
He reached for his phone, a new ritual, and opened the YouTube app to check on his fledgling channel.
He wasn't expecting much.
Maybe a few more subscribers, a handful of comments on his last stream.
But what he saw made him sit bolt upright in bed, a slow, disbelieving grin spreading across his face.
In the monetization tab, next to 'Estimated Revenue', was a number that wasn't zero.
$2.17
