Finally... a Sega Master System!

[mikey.shake]

UPDATE:

 

So, over the past year, my wife and I have had a running joke. She finally saw "Ong-Bak: Thai Warrior", in which a small village credits its prosperity to their statue/deity, Ong-Bak. The head gets stolen, the village falls into drought. It's returned, the rains come back. It's a totally kick-ass martial arts movie, and worth seeing if you like that kind of thing,

 

Well, it's been a funny year for us, kinda hard on finances, and game shopping has really tapered off. No biggie. But every once in a while, something funny happens. For instance, we had a couple of weeks where we could barely buy groceries. But the day after I showed her that movie, on the front step of our (downtown) building, appeared a bag of groceries. Tuna, peanut butter, canned fruits and veggies, a bag of pasta -- what we usually buy anyway. We left it there, figuring someone who lived in our building had forgotten to take their bag up when returning from the groceries. A day later, it was still there. We put it just inside the lobby of the building, making it clear that people could take it. A day later, still there. So we took it upstairs. And it really helped us stretch to payday. Tongue-in-cheek, we thanked Ong-Bak for hooking us up. You know, some people call it God or karma or the cosmos or whatever. That's a conversation for another thread. But we (kinda half-jokingly) credited Ong-Bak.

 

Then it happened again, two weeks later. Slightly different stuff in the bag, but mostly the same kind of thing. We did some research and realized there's a food pantry a few blocks from us. We went down to return the second bag, and they told us that sometimes their customers just take the pre-packed bag, pick out what they want, and leave the rest somewhere. We offered the bag back, but they told us that since we knew it had been outside (there was frozen meat inside), there were rules that prevented them from taking it back. So, we once again had a bag of groceries that could use, but we wouldn't have taken from a food pantry (others need it more than us). But were were left literally holding the bag. Thanks again, Ong-Bak.

 

We tend to chalk it up to karma -- doing the right thing, because while my wife's an angel of a person, she's not above putting one over on the system if it's pretty much victimless. But lately, it seems like every time I tease her and get her to do the "right" thing in a given situation where she could choose mischief, it seems like an "Ong-Bak moment" is right around the corner.

 

There were a few of those moments recently (cashier giving her extra change back, etc), but she kept on doing the right thing. And last night, she gets a text message:

 

I know this is completely out of the blue, but I'm the guy who sold you the Sega Master System a year ago - I was cleaning out my closet yesterday and came across a control pad that belongs to the system (I believe you guys only got one from me). I still had your phone number in my Gmail from the time of the sale and wanted to check with you to see if you want it; it's yours for free if so (if not I'll just put it up for sale on Craigslist). Lmk - thanks!

 

Crazy, huh? Almost a whole year later, I couldn't believe he took the time to get in touch, especially when it would be an easy $20 on craigslist. The local shops never have 'em on their own. I know because I've asked. Often. So Mrs. S and I hopped a train this afternoon and went over to pick it up at his office. He was super-swell, and wouldn't even take the ten bucks we tried to offer him as a thank you. I'd picked up a second controller for the console last winter, but it's one of the early ones with the thumbstick and the weird side-cable. So I'd been planning on getting another decent-shape, top-cable controller anyway. That guy just saved me $25 (after shipping), and I got a little "gaming surprise" even though I really can't afford them right now. We've been pinching pennies, and I haven't been able to afford anything since Mega Man 4 a couple months ago, so this was a nice treat. I've already re-united it with ​Double Dragon, and introduced it to Fantasy Zone and Shinobi. So, if any of you feel like putting out some hippie-dippie good vibes for someone doing something nice for gamers, please send 'em out for that dude. He deserves it.

 

Also, this morning I went ahead and paid for the subway even though one of the gates was open, and I could have just walked through. When I got to the gym about 20 minutes later, I was the first one through the door. I found five dollars on the floor in front of an "out of order" vending machine with nobody around.

 

I see what you did there, Ong-Bak.

 

tl;dr - I needed a Master System controller, and Ong-Bak provided.

[phoenixdownita]

UPDATE:

 

....

 

Also, this morning I went ahead and paid for the subway even though one of the gates was open, and I could have just walked through. When I got to the gym about 20 minutes later, I was the first one through the door. I found five dollars on the floor in front of an "out of order" vending machine with nobody around.

 

I see what you did there, Ong-Bak.

 

tl;dr - I needed a Master System controller, and Ong-Bak provided.

How about use a couple of those 5 bucks and play the lottery?

It seems like you've had some good karma might as well try?

[CGQuarterly]

Jibbajaba, glad to hear you finally scratched that itch as well! Yeah, there was something about the system that stuck in my mind all these years -- must have made quite the impression back then. I love the look of the thing, too -- so sleek in its own way, despite all the empty space inside. Oh, and your vids are favorites of Mrs. S and I -- really great, informative stuff. Your two-part Genesis set was excellent! After your recent vid on Shinobi, can we expect a Master System overview anytime soon? Consider this an official request. I'm kind of surprised at the lack of review content for the system considering its place in history, and we all need more quality content out there, right?

 

 

I know this reply is about 11 months late, but I just saw this post. It always makes me happy to hear that someone is enjoying my content. I will have the Sega Master System launch episode uploaded sometime this week, and am hoping (but am not totally optimistic) to have a revamped Genesis launch episode uploaded before the middle of December. If not, it will have to wait until January.

 

Glad you're still enjoying the Master System, and good on that guy for giving you the second controller! I only have one controller, but I don't really have anyone to play with so it doesn't matter.

[CGQuarterly]

Uploaded the video today: