I know you must be convulsing waiting to here the SwordQuest WaterWorld story so here it goes... For quite some time here in Florida you know that I have been going to various "fleas" and "pawn" shops looking for Atari stuff but with very limited success. No major titles or finds anywhere but a few "new to me" titles to keep the frustration level from rising too high. Also for some time, right across the street from Circuit City, there is a pawn shop that is very small but advertised Sega games among it's stuffage. My day had been going really sh*tty (Vanna may I buy a vowel?) so I treated myself to a sitdown, non-rushed lunch. After my meal I had some time to spare so I curtailed my wallpolling activities and sallied forth into the aforementioned place of business (I walked to the Pawn shop). It was your semi-typical pawn shop. All the normal stuff was there: old tools, old stereos, old unidentifiable pieces of metal and a closed off area filled with porno, porno and more hardcore porno (Not that I looked or anything). Feeling very let down and expecting the usual nothingness I still ventured forward. It was then that my suspicions were confirmed when I spied the 3, count them t-h-r-e-e, uninteresting Sega CD games. So much for advertising.

"This what you got for Sega games?" I says. "Yup. Had lots more before Christmas" pawn/porn man says. "Oh, I guess I missed out, huh?" I says. "Yup" porn/pawn man says. (Here it comes) "You got any old games like Atari or something" I say unenthusiastically. "Aaaahhhh Ummmmmmm uuuuuhhhh, I don't think so" pawn/porn man says. "Oh, okay" I says, feeling worse due to my current deja vu. "Wait.... Are those Atari games there on that bottom shelf" porn/porn man says.

I gander half-heartedly at the bottom shelf expecting the Combat, Atlantis, Pac-man gig. Then I saw them... all 3, count them t-h-r-e-e Atari games. But the one the top of the pile made my eyes squint in disbelief. Then the siriens went off in my head, my heart stopped for a split second before attempting it's escape by beating furiously against my breastbones, my eyes and body attempting not to let on the excitement and dreamlike state inside of me.....

A SwordQuest WaterWorld

"Oh, yeah. (pause) What do you want for them?" I says in my same lackluster tone of indifference. "I dunno. A dollar?" King Pawn/Porn Man says. "Oh, well I take one I guess." I says. I promptly hand over my last dollar. The only money I had left in my posession at that time and place. A quirk of fate or destiny that my lunch that afternoon didn't cost more or require a larger tip for outstanding service, but just enough to leave me that lone dollar that had a higher purpose.