Friday, November 20, 2009

When at first you don't succeed.

The Claw.

Everyone has been tempted once or twice by this arcade staple. The big mocking game that offers incredibly cheap, while still intriguing prizes. This game serves only two purposes: To take your money, as well as your sanity. And convince you beyond all reason that you need whatever it holds.

There are only a few reasons you would ever play this game. You are either A.) High (sugar or drug related) or drunk, or cocky as heck. B.) 10 years old and think you’re invincible, and jonesing badly for that monster truck. Or C.) Dared by all your cohorts and now pride won’t let you leave without that bobble head.

I am only mortal and have also been tempted by this monster machine. Three times in my life to be exact. My first encounter was inevitable, everyone needs their dreams crushed once, or dropped inches from the box. My second time was years afterward when a group of my friends and I instigated situation C, then by sheer luck discovered the weak link in the dream dropping chain. It didn’t matter that the coveted toy inside was miniature Care Bears, when life gives you a broken arcade game, you take it for all it’s worth.

My third time brings us up to last night. When I was getting a late dinner with Grant and Jason at the Gateways food court. It wasn’t really flashy, or emitting brain-melting music, what it had was giant super balls. I don’t consider myself a tomboy, but I do like my bouncy balls.

So after eyeing the machine half the meal, even walking up to it to ogle the toys, Grant handed me 50 cents and told me to go nuts!! I’m not sure if he really meant for me to literally go nuts, but after I aligned the claw just right, watched it descend upon my prize, miss it by centimeters, and still come up with a ball, I did just that!!

It was amazing!! I wasn’t even embarrassed to be the center of attention. Which I was, I even got congratulations from passerby’s. I got my toy! And it flashes, and bounces, and has a snowman in it!!

The evening ended on a very good note, and now the ball rests after being thoroughly used and abused. Don’t worry I promise I wont let it go to my head.. and I wont try to get another one.
Such luck only happens once. ((dang it.))

2 comments:

Okie said...

Congratulations. I actually used to have pretty good luck with those machines, but haven't had great luck in recent years. Jason managed to pull something out of one a year or so ago and has since been lured time and again without success.

Eric and Jill said...

AMBER that is so awesome! I wish I could have seem the amazing event. I have also fallen victim to those rotten machines before but not I just sit and pretend that I have what's inside. Doesn't make it perfect but helps. I'm so glad you got your bouncy ball though.