Young Benny Fox was determined to win a plushie from the prize machine. Benny was not about to quit, no matter what it takes at seventy five cents a try. When Benny ran out of quarters, he'd put more of his allowance money in the change machine to get more quarters. Each time he put more quarters in the prize machine, a plushie would fall out of the jaws without ever reaching the drop bin. Because the machine was not delivering a plushie, Benny would call out, "No Fair".
Older brother Ted tried it only twice, then had sense enough to step away and leave the machine alone after two failed attempts costing him only one dollar and fifty cents in quarters. At one point, Ted reminded younger brother Benny, "That's the twenty fourth time you tried to get a plushie from that machine". But Benny wouldn't listen to his older brother. By the time Benny Fox tried a total of thirty six times to get a plushie, he had used up all twenty seven dollars of his allowance money he had saved, and no plushie to show for it. Benny was upset and sad with tears in his eyes. The words at the top of the machine read, "Win a plushie", but what a joke that was. Benny and Ted would have gotten more enjoyment had they played the video games, like the race car game Andy Otter and his sister Jan were playing.
That afternoon when Ted and Benny returned home, Benny went crying to Dad about loosing all his allowance money in the prize machine at the arcade and having nothing to show for it. Benny cried to Dad, "My whole twenty seven dollars is all gone. It's all gone. And I ain't got nothing for it". That was when Dad gave Ted and especially Benny a pep talk about those "try your luck" prize machines. Dad told Ted and Benny, "You boys would have gotten enjoyment playing the games like Frogger, Space Invaders, Race Cars and other games. But I will tell you this about those prize machines. You can never beat someone at their own game. Besides, if you watch others playing those plushie prize machines, you can see they deliberately made those grab jaws so they don't hold onto anything". The pep talk Dad gave was a valuable tid bit of wisdom to Ted and Benny. Youngsters their ages still have a lot to learn in life. Benny Otter's pockets may be twenty seven dollars lighter until he and Ted get next week's twenty dollar allowance. But the lesson learned is far more valuable than the money Benny lost at the arcade.
Benny's experience with the prize machine is a tough lesson many of us have faced. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of winning, but sometimes the real fun is in games that offer more than just a chance at a prize. I remember spending time playing games like block breaker instead, which always felt more rewarding. It's all about enjoying the moment rather than chasing after something elusive!
Benny's experience with the prize machine is a tough lesson many of us have faced. It's easy to get
It sure is. I recall the time at a state fair when my youngest sister tried her luck a game of winning a goldfish. There were tiny bowls on a table each containing a live goldfish. The object was to toss a small hoop, and it landing encircling a goldfish in a bowl would win a goldfish. My sister tried time after time and didn't win. She was eight years then, and started crying because she didn't win. My father later told her she spent more money trying to win a goldfish than if she had bought one from a pet store, and he also said, "Those games are set up that way. You'll never beat a man at his own game".
It sure is. I recall the time at a state fair when my youngest sister tried her luck a game of winni
