Today while running around to the different stores I frequent, I stopped at the Half-Price Books nearest my home town. Not expecting to find much but just checking it out as I had not been there for a while. I was certainly surprised to see a CIB A Link to the Past listed at $100. This thing was immaculate. The edges of the box were all intact with no flaking or peeling, the tabs were not bent or lifted. This box came straight from 1991. It had all the inserts too. The map, instructions, all pristine. The game wasn't in it but that's fine they usually keep them behind the counter. I have to have it.
I'm ready to check out, they can't find the game, no worries, I already have a copy, I want the box and inserts (at a discounted price). They start calling over different employees, no one can find the game. After contacting a manager and the box traveling to the back for a while the manager comes back and says that unfortunately the game appears to have been stolen. I say that's fine I just want the box. She tells me that they won't be selling the box and that they'll be using it for employee training. Dang.
In the end I know it's not the biggest deal in the world. Everyone has this type of story, and I tell myself that collecting is a marathon not a sprint. But I can't help but feel just a tiny bit bummed about it.
