Here is mine.
I'm not real sure of the year but it was just as the Atari Crash was starting.
We were fairly well off, better than most, as my step-dad was an officer in the Air Force. Well things weren't perfect with them and they divorced just after christmas.
So from riches to rags.
We really struggled to make ends meet through that year and as christmas rolled around again we had no money for gifts. We had a small plastic tree, a few decorations and no lights. Mom and I went to the grocery store to pick up a couple of tv dinners for christmas day and a few other items. Well they just happened to be having a blow out sale Atari carts. Everything was $5.00. I knew things were tight so I just looked while she shopped. Being Christmas Eve people were grabbing games faster than you would believe, I watched them all fly by. I noticed a single Miner 2049'er that people just passed up and I really wanted it. We just didn't have the money.
We left and headed home. Once at home I guess my mom started to feel bad about not having anything for me for christmas and asked if there was a game that I saw that I wanted.
"Yes", I said, "but we don't have the money".
She, didn't say much more for awhile.
About an hour later she told me to get my coat on we forgot something at the store.
You can guess the rest, with a slight twist at the end. Miner 2049'er was not there. Instead I got Fathom and I played that game for days on end until I finally beat it. I don't know exactly what it was but that game, it was a turning point in my life. It led to computers and to the games there and many steps later to a career with computers today. I also run fan sites for games from time to time, when one catches my attention. The last one was Planet Dungeon Siege.
Rob Fulop, if you read this, I know you didn't care for Fathom. Just know that your game made a significant impact on at least one person. Enough of an effect, to point a child in the direction of his future.
So my quest, my holy grail, is a mint, sealed Fathom, which I hope to have signed by Rob. I refuse to buy a loose Fathom cart, till I get one...