Thursday, January 26, 2012

Jerry


Hyrum always wants to try vending machines with toys inside (or with cotton candy inside, if you remember).  He convinced someone to let him use his two tokens in the crane machine. I thought, "Now he'll learn that these machines are a waste and NOBODY ever wins."

He was unsure of his own abilities, so he asked Ben to try for him.
Try #1--Ben grabbed the toy but lost him on the way back to the start.
Try #2--Ben had learned a few things in his first attempt.  He carefully positioned the crane over the toy's head and snagged him fast around the neck--nothing was going to shake it loose.  He moved the crane back to the start and dropped it into the slot.

Hyrum is now the proud owner of Jerry.
Now when will I ever convince him that nobody ever wins these games?

Maybe he's that nobody.

Brings back a memory of similar circumstances when I was a kid, we stopped at a gas station in Nevada, and my dad had a pocketful of nickels.  He led all four of us up to the slot machines, divided the nickels and told us to see what happened.  Just like Hyrum's experience with Jerry, the first pull of the lever and the money was gone.  Next pull--coins came spilling out.  We had won!  It took a little longer than Dad expected to teach us the lesson, but eventually all the coins disappeared, and we walked away empty handed.

Maybe next time he'll learn (I said that with the cotton candy, didn't I?)
Linking up to Jenny Matlock's J at Alphabe-Thursday.
Jenny Matlock

18 comments:

  1. Ben is a marvel! I've never know of anyone to win with one of those claw things...

    =)

    PS. Love the irony of the lesson "taught."

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  2. Well, it looks like you'll have to start carrying around more change.

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  3. Great *J* post – so apt!

    Visiting from Mrs Matlock’s,

    Have a good Alphabe-Thursday

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  4. haha that is a riot.

    my kids are lucky too...(im not)

    as for cotton candy...i have new craving now...thanks

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  5. Isn't it a pain when life proves you wrong? It's going to be an uphill battle convincing him he's not going to win every time!

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  6. My kids win all the time on those dang games. I'm like you - wondering when they will ever learn that they are a waste of money! They don't believe me!

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  7. One of my daughters is very lucky at those machines. I used to think nobody ever won either!!

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  8. Ha, ha...ha you made me smile!!!! sometimes you just never know how things will go...!...we just keep moving forward...!

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  9. Hee hee hee. I said the same thing to my son. I've had to eat those words many times over! Munch almost always wins at the claw. (he studied many a Youtube video on how to's). Now all I say is: It's your money! Hee hee hee.

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  10. I've known many people who try those machines and never win- clearly Ben has remarkable talent!

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  11. Wow, sounds like Hyrum has the magic touch with machines of chance. I think you should hit the slots with him :)

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  12. Those machines are like a siren call to small boys.

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  13. some people are just lucky that way. amazing. the claw has chosen him.

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  14. awww...and Jerry's so cute. Can't blame him for wanting to try...and how cool to have a brother with skills!

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  15. the fact that he was able to grab a toy makes him my hero for the moment ... i gave up on those machines decades ago, no one ever wins ... well except your Ben!

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  16. I have a friend that can ALWAYS grab one...every time. I think some people just have it. For me...a total waste of money. I love Jerry!

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  17. I didn't know ANYBODY ever, Ever, EVER won those games!

    That is soooo nifty. You may have to take up a quarter fund. I suspect convincing your children otherwise now will be pretty darned difficult.

    Are those your stairs?

    They are gorgeous!

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  18. Oops. Forgot to write...

    Thanks for a fun and jaunty trip to the letter "J"!

    A+

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