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On March 30th we purchased our first pinball machine on eBay from an operator up in Ellijay. Three months later, we have five pinball machines in our house, and have plans to add two more in the next few weeks. They aren’t all working, but that’s part of the fun. And yes, we can still walk freely about the house without bumping into one. I have yet to run into a pinball machine while, say, going for a glass of water during the night.

However, it gets a little embarrassing when your friends find out you’re getting another one. A few days ago we were at a friend’s house (a friend who happens to own a pinball machine) and I was consciously avoiding mentioning the one we’re planning on buying the following weekend. However, Jessica and I hadn’t coordinated our information dispersion levels, and so when she mentioned it, I was mortified. Our friends found it hilarious, although maybe more that kind of shocked, are-they-out-of-their-minds? hilarious. (No comment.)

I talked with my dad on the phone earlier this week and he said, “Adam, I heard you were getting another pinball machine. Now… I seem to recall you telling me that you weren’t going to buy any more after this last batch. Didn’t you say something like that?” Yes, I had said that, but this one was Jessica’s idea. (Is it wrong that I find it comforting that my wife is supporting this madness, too?) He would never tell me not to do it; for some strange reason he seems to trust me. Still, you can tell he thinks it’s spinning out of control. Or it already has.

This isn’t a hobby like collecting stamps. Or Muppet memorabilia. These are pinball machines. Big, very heavy, arcade-and-bar-dwelling pinball machines. It’s almost like collecting cars, I suppose, except much less expensive and much more fun (in my opinion). Also, unlike a car, it’s difficult to add one to your collection discretely. You end up having to tell somebody, because you need help moving it into the house!

When I was younger I just liked to look at them. Only rarely did I stick a quarter or two in, and when I did the game always ended frightfully quickly. 3 balls. Don’t they go by in a blink! My skills have improved significantly, thankfully. During our past trip to Gatlinburg we spent around $20 on pinball credits. I’ve played a game on the Dirty Harry machine at the local pizza joint during my lunch break (last time I was there it was out of order). This hobby grows on you in a bizarrely infectious way.

I’m tempted to write a paragraph on why these machines are actually pretty good investments (doing a lot better than my Apple stock right now), but you aren’t reading anymore. You’re thinking, Two more machines?!

One of the best parts about this hobby, aside from all of the cool mechanical parts and blinky lights and curvy ramps beneath the glass, is sharing it with friends. (Isn’t that sweet? I mean it, though.) You don’t really find pinball machines around in arcades all that much these days, and so in collecting them you end up with a fairly unique experience to offer up. My goal is to get enough of them up and running so that we can host a pinball party by, say, 2012. Hope to see you there.

Posted: Friday, June 30th, 2006 at 5:34 pm; Category: Pinball; Comments feed: RSS 2.0.
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