So about four months ago I spoke with a co-worker about helping him build his MAME machine. I turned him onto a local supplier of arcade parts who also has monthly auctions. He was really excited to get things started and decided not only to build one cabinet for himself, but another for his brother. He was going to build the cabinets himself from scratch as apparently he is a skilled carpenter. So after a bit more talking I realized he didn't really have any idea on how to set up MAME.
In the end we worked out what I thought was a pretty good deal for both of us. He would help me out by building two control panels for me and I would MAME a PC for both him & his brother. Was a match made in heaven as I didn't have the skills & tools to build the control panels and he needed help with the software end of things.
We talked it over for a few days, about what I was looking for, what I expected, what I wanted. I was honest, SOMETHING SIMPLE ! I honestly didn't care. The machines were for sale and just had to function. Something that fit and three buttons and a joystick was perfect. Even with respects to the layout I was very open. In fact I told him whatever is fastest would work for me.
I ended up printing out some templates for him that featured a layout I thought would work. I also printed out and provided to him measurements that I thought would work. On one of the bar top's they layout in similar to your standard run of the mill arcade machine. However the other two have the buttons laid out on the front of the machine. If I were to install a joystick into these machines the joystick would point toward you (the player) as opposed to up (towards the ceiling).
If you look closely at the picture you can see there is an angled cut towards the top of the control panel. My co-worker thought it would work best to design a control panel that would fit over top. Again I was cool with that. I don't work with wood so I took his word for it, as I'm sure he would if I gave him some MAME input.
He asked me what the angle was that he needed to make the cut. I didn't know. I asked him, "Is it better I just bring you the machine ? The two machines are the exact same. This way you can make it fit perfect!" So that was that.
I brought the machine into work I believe in December. Then I waited, waited, and waited. Then I waited even a little longer. Every time I asked the design was changed or a new idea had popped up. So I wanted again. It got to a point where I thought I had waited enough. All be it a favor was being done for me I felt enough time had passed. So I said to my co-worker, listen I need this stuff back done or not, I'm cool, but I really got started on this project. So I was told that weekend it would be banged out.
That Monday I went to work and to my surprise my stuff was not returned. This went on for a few weeks. Again I was told of some change, some new idea, some crap really. I began to question if anything was even done, and if not, would it ever be done ? So again I provided the easy out, done or not I need it back. I put deadlines on it, but nothing worked.
So one week I say again I need the stuff back Friday. That Friday I had to leave work right away to visit my father in the hospital. And guess what I was told on Monday, my stuff had made it work ! Yet that week it never returned odd as it was.
So yet again a deadline was put on this. I can't recall how many weeks passed from it's alleged arrival at work. But again one Friday I had to leave right away as my brother was at my house waiting for me. And yet again that Monday it was brought to my attention that my items were at work that Friday. Yet again a familiar trend, they never returned that entire week.
I spoke to a friend of mine that works with me and asked him if he would take issue bringing home my goods if they ever did make it into the office. Really my intention was eliminate another excuse. So I spoke to "the carpenter" and told him if ever my goods make it into the office, as opposed to hauling it back and forth should for some reason I miss you give it to my friend. "Great" I was told, I'll do that.
So that Friday when I asked I was told the goods were getting dropped off that night. My buddy waited at work for the bar top to show up. He was reassured several times it was coming, in fact he even stuck around for an extra hour because he was told "%100 it's coming tonight." Then to our surprise a text message was received, it wouldn't be arriving that night. Something had come up.
I got a text message shortly after to let me know that Saturday the stuff would be brought to my house. Needless to say Saturday I got no call to ask for my address or really anything. Yet again I got fucked. But now I was really pissed off because my buddy got fucked over and wasted an hour of his time. And now I was beginning to think the plan was to simply keep my stuff hoping I just let it go.
The following week I waited after work everyday to make sure to provide a "friendly reminder" that I wanted my stuff that week. Then that Thursday I must have called my office about 30 times trying to get "the carpenter" on the phone. But each and every time I called I got no answer. Finally around 10:30 PM right before he finished work my buddy messaged me to say he was at his desk. So I called my buddy who then yelled at "the carpenter" to "take this call!."
I spoke to "the carpenter" for a just a moment or two, and just let him know to make %100 sure he brought my stuff back that Friday. I let him know I'd wait that Friday after work to ensure I got my stuff. I reminded him how all past delivery attempts had failed and asked if a morning reminder was needed. That Friday I got my bar top back, however NOT A SINGLE THING WAS DONE. Not a single hole drilled, not one control panel, nothing.
That was how I got fucked for four months!
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