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As long as I can remember, my Dad took my sister and I to the local traveling carnival. We would go, get our tickets, ride some rides, eat an elephant ear, then Dad would win us a giant stuffed animal. Every time. This never seemed odd to me at the time but as I got older I realized my Dad had a very special gift, one that brought my sister and I many smiles and keeps bringing smiles today.

He has an amazing ability to hit shot after shot on the basketball game. These carnival games are rigged as much as they can get away with and on the basketball game, the balls are overinflated and the rims are bent to ovals. Despite these improbable odds, he always walks away with at least two massive prizes. A few summers ago they began to cut him off after two because they were losing money (not fair).

My sister and I are older now so we don’t need the stuffed monkey or giant snake (although I still have a couple in my closet), but he keeps going year after year to hand out his winnings to starry-eyed kids. The parents are always grateful and some even ask for pictures.

I wanted to share this small thing about my Dad that seems to make him, and others very happy.

As long as I can remember, my Dad took my sister and I to the local traveling carnival

We would go, get our tickets, ride some rides, eat an elephant ear, then Dad would win us a giant stuffed animal

EVERY TIME. This never seemed odd to me at the time but as I got older I realized my Dad had a very special gift

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One that brought my sister and I many smiles and keeps bringing smiles today

A shot I took of him with that weeks prizes.

These carnival games are rigged as much as they can get away with and on the basketball game, the balls are overinflated and the rims are bent to ovals

Despite these improbable odds, he always walks away with at least two massive prizes

This kid was just watching and had no idea he was about to score big!

A few summers ago they began to cut him off after two because they were losing money (not fair)

The local press caught wind of him and gave him a badass alias.

My sister and I are older now so we don’t need stuffed toys, but he keeps going year after year to hand out his winnings to starry-eyed kids

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I wanted to share this small thing about my Dad that seems to make him, and others very happy

Here’s one of the many times he scored!