Literally my best tf2 experience:
Searching for a pub for one of my favorite maps. Hit a nearly full 24/7 server.
Two guys in voice chat were talking about computers.
I asked a question about Mac Vs. PC as a joke.
It wasn't flat out bait, but it was pretty mean-spirited.
They answer with a completely serious and straightforward answer of the pros and cons of both and why they prefer one to the other.

I respond kinda shocked that I was on a Mac and was looking into switching but didn't know enough to do so.
For about 2 hours we play the damn game and they lecture me on actual computer **** . Like in amazingly simple yet effective terms.
As I warm up to them, I joke less and question more.
I took notes, on paper.
I have to go to a church thing or some similar event.
I thank them for their time.
They thank me for listening.
I stall for last minute advice.
They have none.
I continue stalling anyway for some reason, didn't want leave these guys I guess.
I notice I'm nearing the top of the leaderboard
not because I was any good but because of my long stay.
Really weirded out by this because two hours wasn't actually that long. (for that server at least it wasn't very long at all)
Stall a little while thinking about this,
Then it hits me, not a single person voted to mute or kick us during the game. An entire pub that couldn't have dropped below 18/24 people listened to these guys and me talk computers and stayed.

I mean sure they could have muted us from their end or opted out of game chat, but kicking or muting people for the entire server is so much easier.
I think it's called gagging, its been a while since I've played tf2 to be honest.

I finally log off.

2-3 years later, present day.
I have a desktop PC, custom built by my brother (and me a little).
It's about 1.5 years old today.
Not exactly a beast, definitely not flawless, but I have this thing customized up the ass. I'm not the kind of guy to turn it into Jarvis but just so many little details that most people don't recognize the OS. I don't know exactly how to describe it because I use stupid nicknames for everything, like literally everything. I sound like an idiot when I talk to someone who I don't know about it and I confuse bottles with Bootcamp.

I never friended those guys, I never favorited the server. I don't even remember what their names could have been at the time.




Stupid epilogue time, I have since joined a gaming community and met online friends, some of us are tighter than others. I still like tf2, but not crazy about it or anything, not like I was back then. Mostly we just call on each other to do stupid stuff in games. Best example is things like Overdrill in Payday 2
(if you dont play payday its an hour long defense mission. Its unlocked by all 4 players standing in specific spots on the map. I dont know what comes next exactly. It was an ARG like the recent binding of isacc thing in the first payday game, was ported over recently. I don't know all the details, I just know it pays big bucks, and takes forever)
Basically, either self made, dev made, or community made challenges in our favorite games.

We play like normal people too of course but I figure that little detail is more interesting.