diff --git a/a_pleasant_stroll.p8 b/a_pleasant_stroll.p8
index 1e98444..71af377 100644
--- a/a_pleasant_stroll.p8
+++ b/a_pleasant_stroll.p8
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ version 18
 __lua__
 #include debug.lua
 #include sound.lua
+#include menu.lua
 #include world.lua
 #include player.lua
 #include savegame.lua
diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index 078e530..813ecad 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -1,25 +1,34 @@
 function _init()
-   pal(11, 139, 1)
+   pal(11, 139, 1) -- tone down the bright green
+   menu_mode = false -- global used for menu control
 
    -- module inits
    init_savegame""
+   init_menu""
    init_sound""
    init_world""
    init_player""
    init_debug""
 
    load_game""
-
 end
 
 
 function _update()
-   handle_input""
+   if menu_mode then
+      menu_input""
+   else
+      player_input""
+   end
 end
 
 function _draw()
    cls""
-   draw_world(player_x, player_y)
-   draw_player""
+   if (menu_mode) then
+      draw_menu""
+   else
+      draw_world(player_x, player_y)
+      draw_player""
+   end
    debug_print""
 end
diff --git a/menu.lua b/menu.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9f5864
--- /dev/null
+++ b/menu.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+function init_menu()
+   -- add pause menu items first
+   menuitem(1, "save game", save_game)
+   menuitem(2, "erase save data", clear_save)
+end
+
+function menu_input()
+   -- todo: implement an actual menu
+   menu_mode = false
+end
+
+function draw_menu()
+
+end
diff --git a/player.lua b/player.lua
index f8291b0..6a1a02e 100644
--- a/player.lua
+++ b/player.lua
@@ -39,14 +39,18 @@ function init_player()
    }
 end
 
-
-function handle_input()
+-- NB: references menu_mode from main.lua
+function player_input()
    local new_x, new_y = player_x, player_y
 
    if btnp"4" then
       interact()
    end
 
+   if btnp"5" then
+      menu_mode = true -- pass control to menu
+   end
+
    if btnp"0" or btnp"1" or btnp"2" or btnp"3" then
       if btnp"0" then
          new_x -= 1 -- move left