A sad day in Arcadeland...

elekTRONarcade

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So, a good friend of mine I met while buying machines, an Air Force SSG at that, called me up today to come pick up this Tempest cab he's been holding for me. Now, this is the same guy I picked up my Q*bert, Asteroids Deluxe and TRON from. Great guy. Paid less than $100 for TRON and Q*bert and he gave me AD for free.

Anyways, this guy had a MONSTEROUS garagecade. Besides the 10 or so nonworking machines he had, his working collection included: Moon Patrol, a working Asteroids Deluxe, Defender, Frogger, a beautifully restored Ms. Pac, orange DK, Battlezone, Toobin', Time Crisis, Space Ace, Mad Dog and Dragon's Lair among others. A truly beautiful setup. I was in awe every time I went over there to have a beer and shoot the shit. He told me he was having to sell off a bunch of his machines since his high school sweetheart whom he recently reunited with wanted them gone. She was actually in the process of moving out last time I was over there...

So, I got there today to pick up the Tempest he had been holding...and the garage was bare. Every machine, with the exception of Tempest, and an NBA Jam cab he'd been holding for a friend of his was gone. No wonderful attract sounds filling my ears. No flashing monitors drawing me in to spend my hard earned dough. Just a lawn mower, weed eater and the cabs. He sold all of them off at a mere pittance of what he had put into them, just to get her back.

Now, don't get me wrong. I understand what lengths a man will go to for love. I was lucky enough to marry a woman who is as much a gamer and aficionado as I am, and who actually shares in my arcade. But this seriously broke my heart, seeing this man having lost everything he worked so hard for, to be with someone whom didn't respect nor understand his passion to keep a dying torch lit. Truly a sad day in Arcadeland.

So, let's drink to one of our fallen brethren, my pal Jimmy and the real love he lost: his arcade collection.
 
yep.. if it's got tits or tires it's bound to be trouble.
 
Maybe the games were not that important to him to begin with. Maybe they just filled his time, something which is not waken up by something else. Maybe he did not play them that much.

Be happy that he found someone he is willing to be with and be happy with. Many of us are lucky to have both, but if it were between my games and my wife, I'd miss the games, but it would not even be a question to me.

I'd rather drink to those that knwo what truly makes them happy.

Remember the good times you had with your friend and the games if this is a tragedy for you.

Chris
 
Wow that's a bummer. I made it clear to my wife when I was dating her that the collection is part of the package. I really feel bad for him.
 
In all likelyhood, he will end up without the girl and the machines... When you ask someone to give up something they love in exchange for your love, they may do so but it generally creates resentment that festers and divides. It's a whole different situation when they do not ask, and you do it because it means something to them. That's self-sacrifice and is a relationship builder.
 
Bummer he had to let them go. Moderation is not something many of us collectors are good at.

If my entire garage was filled floor to ceiling with antique hair dryers, my wife would have to make a choice too.
 
If they were in the fuckin garage why the hell did she care? I'm sorry but that's bullshit. I take it she didn't have to give up her shoe\cloths collection or anything she has owned?? I mean shit, he only had 10 games....that's a conservative collection if you ask me!
 
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Maybe the games were not that important to him to begin with. Maybe they just filled his time, something which is not waken up by something else. Maybe he did not play them that much.

Be happy that he found someone he is willing to be with and be happy with. Many of us are lucky to have both, but if it were between my games and my wife, I'd miss the games, but it would not even be a question to me.

I'd rather drink to those that knwo what truly makes them happy.

Remember the good times you had with your friend and the games if this is a tragedy for you.

Chris

Just like pldoolittle said above, a relationship built on one person doing all the sacrificing isn't a relationship at all and is likely to end. Badly. Even after he agreed to start selling some of the machines, she still moved out.

The saddest part for me is seeing him lose his most prized machines, the ones he bragged about every time I came over. The Space Ace and Dragon's Lair he rebuilt from basically scratch. The Ms. Pac he slaved over for well over 40 hours and inspired me to do the same with mine. The Frogger he pulled from a dumpster and brought back to life, piece by piece.

I'm glad the machines went to good homes. But the home they were in before was much. So again I say, a drink to one of the caretakers of our youths.

Oh, and he had 10 nonworking ones Rob...he had like 15 working ones as well :p
 
Just like pldoolittle said above, a relationship built on one person doing all the sacrificing isn't a relationship at all and is likely to end. Badly. Even after he agreed to start selling some of the machines, she still moved out.

The saddest part for me is seeing him lose his most prized machines, the ones he bragged about every time I came over. The Space Ace and Dragon's Lair he rebuilt from basically scratch. The Ms. Pac he slaved over for well over 40 hours and inspired me to do the same with mine. The Frogger he pulled from a dumpster and brought back to life, piece by piece.

I'm glad the machines went to good homes. But the home they were in before was much. So again I say, a drink to one of the caretakers of our youths.

Oh, and he had 10 nonworking ones Rob...he had like 15 working ones as well :p

So he's not with the girl anymore? If she truly cared she would accept him for who he is, hobbies and all.
 
So he's not with the girl anymore? If she truly cared she would accept him for who he is, hobbies and all.

Nope, thats the saddest part...even after he agreed to get rid of some of them, she still moved out. It wasn't until he got rid of everything that she decided to *MAYBE* come back.

And I agree...if she truly loved him, she'd accept his hobbies. Nothing wrong with a little moderation...I could see him getting rid of all of the nonworking machines for her sake, the projects which would probably never get finished. But the working ones....man....
 
She sounds like a total princess bitch. Sounds like she wanted to leave anyway and used the games as a lame excuse to leave. Fuck her (in the bad way)!

My fiancee doesn't like video games at all but knows my cabs aren't going anywhere unless I hit some SERIOUS financial trouble. My house is small so when she moves in with the boys most of them will have to hit storage until I buy a bigger house. New house will be sooner than later.
 
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I have one question to ask, how often does she go into the freaking garage? I don't think it was necessary for her to castrate the dude just so he could prove he loves her, that clearly shows that she's a self centered b***h that only cares about herself. If she loved him she would have left him with a little space of his own where he could get away to relieve stress when he needed to.
 
Dude is a whipped mo-fo. If she's leaving because of his "games in the garage" and only because of his "games in the garage", then she's an unworthy bitch who deserves to be kicked to the curb... my guess is that wasn't the "only" issue and if home boy thinks self-castration is enough... he's going to have a real awakening ahead.
 
My wife is not into games BUT she understands me and my son have this hobby and leaves us alone. Its better than hitting a beer joint or a titty club,the only time she interferes is when we are low on funds. IMO its good to have a hobby,but love is a funny thing and sounds like your buddy is willing to do anything for it.ive been married 18 years and made alot of sacrifices as has she so its give and take not all one sided.
 
IMO its good to have a hobby,but love is a funny thing and sounds like your buddy is willing to do anything for it.ive been married 18 years and made alot of sacrifices as has she so its give and take not all one sided.

Absolutely true, but there is a difference between a sacrifice and an ultimatum. The former is self-less, the latter (usually) selfish.
 
ick. That really sucks.

Its been said here already, but my gaming habit was part of the package when I got with my woman. I could be doing worse crap!
 
I'm sure she'll find another reason to leave again! I'm sorry but I'm single and ANY woman that decides she wants to be a part of my life will have to accept my arcade collection! It was here before her and it will be here after she leaves!!! Isn't it funny how after they get you to get rid of your stuff they want to fill that space with more NEW furniture you don't need. Then they kick you out of your closet completely and fill it with their stuff.
 
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