Adventures in Lost Opportunities and Bad Timing

[ClubNinja]

Four years ago, while visiting a friend about 40 minutes away, we stopped by a local (to her) record shop that specialized in 45s. I find 45s charming, despite what critics may say about their quality, so this place was perfect for me. We get there, wander, browse, purchase a few things, etc. As the lady at the counter is ringing us up, I notice something odd peeking out from the storage room behind her - a Centipede cabinet. Surprised, I inquire. Turns out she bought out some guy's record collection and he wanted to get rid of the game as well, so she took that too. She said it was "busted", though, and it wasn't worth the space it was taking up. Sensing my interest, she said "take it home for $50."

Now, at the time (and still), I really didn't have any room for the thing. My rule for buying a cabinet is that it has to be something I *really* love, otherwise I'll be wasting precious space. I decided it was worth checking out anyway. The cabinet, art, everything was in nice shape and original looking. The only problems were that everything on the screen was red, green, or a combination thereof and it wouldn't come out of attract mode. Being pretty arcade illiterate at the time, I resolved that I had no idea how I might fix the machine and it wasn't worth it. So, we left.

I started to feel pangs of guilt hours later for leaving the thing there, so I called back just to re-inquire before heading home. About 45 minutes after I left the store, a guy with a pickup truck stopped by, saw the game, and took it away. She left him have it for free because: "after you looked at it and didn't seem to think you could fix it, I figured it must be shot for good."

Damn me.

[chadtower]

Let me say it for all of us:

OUCH

[Sanriostar]

"The Pain! The Pain!"

[ClubNinja]

Yeah, big suck indeed.

Who's next? Don't tell me I'm the only one to experience such misfortune

[chadtower]

Hasn't happened to me yet. I'm too much of a buy it now ask questions later kind of guy. It's easier to make concessions to the wife than to get permission ahead of time.

[Sniderman]

I'll go next. I've posted the story on DP before, so I'll just hit the highlights of the tale.

Was visiting relatives in KY. Visited a nearby flea market alone. Saw a like-new, pristine Venture cab - tested and working - for $100. Drooled over it, but passed because 1. didn't think wife would approve me buying an arcade cab and 2. was driving a Cavalier, not the best for transporting such an item.

Returned to OH, grousing under my breath. Wife finally asks me why I'm so pissy and I tell her what I passed up. She said 1. she wouldn't have minded if I had bought it and 2. I could've bought it- pacing it on HOLD - driven back to OH, and come down the next weekend with my Dad's pick-up and brought it home. (8-hour round-trip). When I got home, I immediately called the flea market, but it had been sold shortly after I had looked at it. Argh.

[NE146]

Sort've off topic but I found a Centipede machine just yesterday afternoon in a pizza joint in Chelan, WA. I played it a couple of times. It was next to a laundromat that had a Jr.Pacman upright that would't accept my quarter (it'd just pass through)

That's why I like going to these backwoods places..

[grimbal]

I once worked for a used video game store. Some guy passing through was looking to unload a Gauntlet machine and thought we would be interested. He didn't have it with him but stated it was working but just had some "comestic" damage to it. All he wanted was $200.00 the store owner wasn't interested so the guy asked me if I wanted it......and I told him no!!!!!!!

STUPID!!!!!!!!!!

[Pantechnicon]

A few months ago a guy I used to work with called me from his new job and said that his employers were looking to get rid of the working Vindicators machine they had in the break room. Nobody played it anymore, it was taking up space and, oddly, none of the employees wanted it. All I had to do was show up with a truck. I had no storage space at the time but admittedly I was also at the time only interested in machines I could convert to MAME without messing up art, etc. So I said I'd have to pass.

This is how I feel about it today