The Claw!

       BLOG FOR TUESDAY, JULY 23RD

        It sits there silently waiting for its prey!
        I know it's there. And I know it's just
waiting to get its hooks on......my grandson!
        I call it "The Claw." It is, perhaps, more
commonly known as "The Crane."
         It is a game found in all of the Boardwalk
attractions remembered by some of us as the
Penny Arcade.
         Of course the last time pennies were used
here Harry Truman was President and Trolley
Cars still carried people to and from the
amusements.
         The 'House" fills these machines with
merchandise like Pro team sports shirts, popular
stuffed animals, even knock off IPhones.
         The "Mark", that's the customer, one of
whom is my grandson, places money in the
machine and manually moves a three arm claw
over the item he is trying to grab. A countdown
clock activates, limiting the time he has to
position the arms just where he wants them to
be. If he's set before the clock hits zero he
pushes a red button and the claw descends
usually grabbing the item, then begins to lift
it out. In most cases the treasured item slips
from the grip of the claw within two seconds,
prompting the player to utter those all too
famous words...." I almost had it."
        One can't of course, surrender after
coming so very close to success. The usual
procedure then is to insert some additional
cash so you can try again.
         After witnessing this time after time
I can safely say your odds of retrieving the
prize in question are far less than at any
casino slot machine!
         And remember the "penny thought?"
         You pay a buck a shot to work the
Claw. Or you can lose six times for five
dollars.
          Now don't get me wrong. People
have been successful at getting the prize
now and then. And, when you stop to think
about it, the Claw has a 100% success rate
.......at grabbing my grandson!
       Hope you win your prize and that all
your NEWS is good!