Swift Current, SK
It's hard for me to think back to the beginning of my interest in Pinball. All I remember looking back to when I was a kid was that wherever I saw one, I wanted to play it. If we went to an arcade, I'd play all the pinball machines first, then I'd spend what I had left on arcade games. I remember going to hotels with my parents and always asking for a dollar to play the broken down pin in the corner. I remember asking for a quarter if we were on holidays and stopped at a gas station with a machine in the corner. (Again, usually in a bad state of disrepair) I struggle to think of titles that peaked my interest but Pinbot, Black Hole, Taxi and some sort of car based game possibly Getaway all ring a bell in my head.
Then, in high school a new arcade opened in the mall near my school. I spent every lunch hour for 4 years playing pinball. Games I recall then was the legendary Addams Family, and Twilight Zone. But, I also remember playing titles like Super Mario Brothers, TMNT, Jurrasic Park, and more. That's when I began to understand the goals and objectives in pinball.
I've always been drawn to a pinball machine. Even when I stumbled in to one that was in such a bad state I just KNEW it was going to take my money and offer little if anything in return, I gave it my money anyway just to chance.
It wasn't until around 2000 that I came to the realization that there were actually people in the world who personally owned pinball machines. However, back then I wanted an Addams Family and only an Addams Family. And, looking around in Canada, selection of machines close by and price made it clear that "this would never become reality for me" and I pushed it from my mind.
Since arcades became extinct and I didn't know anyone with a pinball machine the next 10 years would be relatively pinball free. I got married, had kids and about the only time I'd play one would be if we were staying in a hotel somewhere that had one. While most dads were sneaking away after the kids went to sleep for a beer in the lounge, I'd be... well ok... I'd be sneaking away for a beer in the lounge but I'd make a pit stop at the pinball machine first.
A few year's ago, I decided to re-open the idea of buying one. I looked around a bit, didn't have a huge budget and was still pretty close-minded. I'd expanded my wish list to probably 3 games. And I wasn't finding one that put wish list and budget in the same sentence. It just didn't happen.
Then, about a year ago the interest became and obsession. Every 6 month's or so it would pop in my head to throw something on the local buy and sell website so this was no different. I put a message online saying I was looking for a pinball machine... have a few titles in mind but would consider anything 90's or newer. Within a day someone locally who is actually a member of this site contacted me. He told me that while he had none for sale, he owned several machines and invited me to pop over "one of these nights" and check them out.
I thanked him for the offer and kept his contact info. Every few month's I'd shoot him an email just letting him know I hadn't forgotten and would still be interested in seeing his machines sometime. 6 month's later (Last October) he phoned me and asked me to pop over for beer and pinball night. Great guy... He even supplied the beer! I was stunned to see his 8 machine collection. 8 machines from my golden era of pinball... my wheelhouse. I played till he asked me to leave. Seriously. And while I still talk to Ted he hasn't invited me back quite frankly! LOL.
Since last October, it's become an obsession. I began checking the local and non-local buy and sell sites daily. Sometimes, more than once a day and most importantly, I began warming up my wife to the idea that I wanted to "invest" in a man-toy. My wife does not share this love sadly. While I kept looking, she kept reminding me that looking was all I'd be doing for now but I kept on looking anyway. I found this site and began to read articles, posts and videos about how to fix pinball machines with the logic that when I do finally get a chance to pull the trigger, the only way I'll be owning a pinball machine and still be married is to find a "fixer upper for cheap."
This site has been incredible for opening me up to other pinball machines. Any machine I stumbled on, the next thing I'd do is come on here, look it up and read reviews about what kind of game it was. My list of possible games expanded. Oh... and I kept looking. Just looking.
With the spring (if you can call this spring), we received a nice return on our taxes and I began to prepare my wife for the pitch that at least some of this money should be set-aside for me to complete my dream of owning a machine. She was luke warm to the idea but did leave an open window. My budget was small, certainly wasn't looking for HUO Twilight Zone's but come hell or high water I was going to pull the trigger and buy a pin.
For two month's I've been looking and offering on machines. Some nice machines came and went... even one from my dream list that I was close to buying but we just couldn't reach a deal in price. But, I'd read posts on here about not getting discouraged and staying patient when buying. I zoned in on one 10 hours away and in my price range. It was no Addams Family for sure but it was a pin that received great reviews from everyone on the site. I was literally a day away from telling the guy I'll take it but I really didn't want to drive 10 hours to risk seeing it in poorer condition than I was told and driving back empty handed. So I thought I'd take one last shot on the local buy and sell. By some strange stroke of luck, I received a call from someone in town who had a pinball machine for sale. And when asked what the title was... to my amazement it was the VERY SAME machine I was about to drive 10 hours for. And it was $150 less.
I planned to check it out last Friday but couldn't wait. I ended up calling him and popping over last Thursday with the kids... checked it out thanks to tips I've learned here. Played it. Let the kids play it. We loved it. I came back Friday and loaded it up. This site neglected to teach me about one thing. Hamstrings and tight staircases.
But, I have my Grand Lizard. Not the Cadillac. But, it's in decent shape and is alot of fun. Thanks to what I've learned I had the courage to take it apart the first week. I've cleaned it, waxed it, re-rubbered it, even removed every post and scrubbed them down with a toothbrush. I replaced 20 years worth of burnt out bulbs and it looks and plays great.
My wife said to me tonight... "I know you. You're not stopping at one."
I sure hope she's right.
