Not for pinball or the forum of course, but the game left for its trip today - to the USA!
Now Spirit is an exceptional machine, but despite loving certain aspects of the game, it was not getting much play as overall it did not press the right buttons for me as I am enjoying later model games more these days. I know down the track I will regret it a little, but room is always a premium.
In what seemed an odd sort of enquiry, a forum member (thanks Derek) let me know that a collector was looking for this game. I suggested he let the person know I would sell at a fair price (and well below what was on offer). This lead to contact being made from a dealer in the USA, which worried me a little, and I almost cut it off at that point. We exchanged a few emails, but I wasn't prepared to sell using paypal for obvious reasons, and just when I thought it was dead in the water, the actual buyer (who was getting blind cc's it seemed) chimed in with an email that he was happy with my proposal. We exchanged a little more by email, and then a chat on the phone. An exceptionally nice guy to talk and email with (and rather well-known), a real passion for pinball, particularly rare titles.
Today the game was collected - a 30 year journey that started in Chicago USA in 1982 to Germany, to Australia, and now back to the USA Los Angeles.
Best of all, I have contact with a new pinball friend.
Aint pinball grand?!?
In a way, I'm sad to hear it has gone, but the upside is it is going to someone who will play it more, or have the room to house it. I LOVE this machine, and would never sell mine due to the sentimental value. You will miss it, but you can play mine when I've FINALLY got around to restoring it !
