The Adventures of Modemboy Episode I: The First to Connect Japan 1989 the first screeeeech of the modem was heard and transformed Mayumi into ModemBoy! The octopus connections opened the world to word combat. Watch, listen and learn as ModemBoy builds this first commercial Bulletin Board Service in the closet of studio apartment in Roppongi, Tokyo. Modemboy transcends, smashes records and ... Long ago can only be said in Japan by grabbing your chin and "stretching" it out as long as your arm. This book is dedicated to Phinkleburt Thumbernick as a dear friend who witnessed the birth of Modemboy and was his hijinks partner. Still in my wallet and still in his. It's a bet neither of us has lost as the dinner that made John Belushi and the Cheeseburger famous is steep. I married the girl sitting next to me on the Korean Airlines flight from LAX to Tokyo. She still sits next to me 29 years later. Our two kids are grown and are spectacular humans. Landing in Japan at 23, 2K and a month to travel. My host family was found from my work with the blind. It is a connection and a welcoming that made Japan my second home and approachable. Mata neh can only be said in Japan with your right hand visibly dangling below your balls. It also means see you later. Certain cultural rules are only found in gutters and dives at 3am. In our case though, it was 8pm at Gaspanic, the original, in Roppongi. The steel bar and benches were a lit with breasts bouncing and three blokes at the bar. Phinkleburt was one of them with Darwin Best and Barton Conartitis. Phinkleburt was quick to shake hands and greet me. It's like I was expected. Knowing his and my career now that may indeed be true! Beer. My drive as a business man was and is apparent in meeting me. I told Phinkleburt about why I was in Japan, the Blind studies and the UN Conference of the Year of the Disabled in Yokohama 1989. Phinkleburt told me he sold Shoe Goo. Hold the fucking front door! I just finished a 10K race fundraiser with Shoe Goo as the main sponsor. Phinkleburt and I bonded stronger than any Shoe Goo ever has. Phinkleburt, I love you brother. The first and fondest project I got to pitch Phinkleburt was called Bikefinder. After dedciding to stay in Japan after my 1 month vacation I moved into a Gaijin House in Musashi Sakai. The party in Tokyo is epic, but finding your bike was an adventure. I drew the design on a napkin a the coffee shop right next to the station. I had to take a break from trying to find my bike and needed a moment. The pen flowed and a sender and receiver unit was fashioned on the bike and the operation principles outlined. Right across the street from the US Embassy in Tokyo was the Bicycle Cultural Center on one side and JETRO on the other. I taught English morning and evening with an entire day to learn and pitch Tokyo. I sold the Vector, the world's fastest production sports car, on Fuji TV. I sold patio umbrellas to Tokyu Hands and Distribution. I traded Bikefinder for the ride of my life, an internet startup. Really, the sound was mesmerizing and you hated it all at the same time. The image every time for me was a red gremlin kissing her green cousin. The screeches were the family saying "noooooooooeeeewwwwaaaaahhhh" and then new thoughts were spawned. It was February 1990 and we all were dressed in winter wear that crowded the booth at the Royal Host restaurant in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan. The booth fit the five big gaijins and the waitress was a giggles. Winchester was a large man with balding dark hair and spectacles. He spoke fluent Japanese as an officer in any intelligence army would. He was a mentor geek and he knew it. Bill Brocato made the introduction to Winchester. (Not the last Gunn in this story). Bill, a Texan from Beaumont, was a writer and a drinker. He fashioned himself as a living beatnik. He was a drunk that you could not resist to party with. Tha